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icanbeyourjedi-writes · 1 year

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Because, I love you... Javier Peña x F!Reader

Summary: Old Love never dies…or does it? Words: 6670 Rating: 18+ SMUT please don’t read if you are under 18 Warnings/Triggers: Hospitals, Mentions of Death, Cheating, Sexy Times A/N: Story Not Beta'd so like always mistakes are my own and my bad...

**Just like ao3, “creator chooses not to use warnings.” If you click Keep Reading, that means you agree that you’re the age to handle mature themes. Also by clicking Keep Reading, you understand warnings may not be complete in order to avoid spoilers for the story. **

It was early evening, you had just cleaned up. Throwing on a pair of sweat pants and an old worn-out hoodie that had different seen better days. But it was comfortable. Flopping on the couch and turning on the TV bringing your feet up and resting on the coffee table as the credits to a new movie begin to roll. Your mind had been on so many things the last few week. A wedding, the dress, your job, and one thing you didn’t expect. Your childhood friend, your first boyfriend, your first love came back to town. Telling you he had retired and came home to help take of his Dad. The man who was like a second father to you.

You lay your head on the arm rest when your phone begin to dance across the table. An unknown number flashing across the screen, your fiancé was out of town on work, “maybe it’s the hotel” you think to yourself as you push the little green button to answer.

“Hermosa…” his voice trembled. He was panicked and you could hear his heart racing even through the phone. His words flying out of his mouth

“Hey…hey, slow down” you say in a calming voice

“It’s Chucho…” and that was all you needed to hear

“Where are you?” You are on your feet sliding on a pair of slip-on shoes and grabbing your car keys before he even answers. “I’ll be there in 5 minutes”

“You don’t have to come, I just…”

“I’ll be there in 5” you say again, hanging up the phone and getting into your car.

You don’t know how you arrived, it was all a blur. Running into the hospital ER, you don’t know exactly where he was. You find a nurses station and make your way to it. Nurses coming and going, all but ignoring you as they race around. “Excuse me…yes, hi…please” you say over and over again trying to get anyone’s attention.

“Ma’am your not allowed to be back here” a voice finally says walking up to the station

“I’m looking for somebody. Peña…Chucho Peña” you say

“Are you family?” He asks looking up from the metal clipboard in his hands, seeing you shake your head “we can not give out that information”

“I’m a family friend. He’s my neighbor…” you start to tell the nurse, tears starting to form in your eyes “…please”

“Ma’am I am sorry. But we are not allowed to disclose…”

“Hermosa?” You hear his voice from behind you and you turn “Hermosa…” he says again running towards you

“Javi” you sigh arms wrapping around him as his wrap around you. A comforting hug, holding onto you as if you are the only bit of reality he has left.

His chin rests on your shoulder, you can feel the tears stream down his cheeks. His hands running up and down your back trying to comfort you, the same way your hands rub his head. The past doesn’t matter at that moment “I didn’t know who else to call, I’m so sorry” he chokes out in a shaky breath “I’m…”

“It’s ok…it’s ok” you try to hold it together but you are breaking just as much as he is “is he ok?”

He pulls back, you see the water in his puffy eyes. Tears stain his cheeks, he swallows hard. The silence is deafening. He takes your hand and walks you to the room where his father lays. Machines hooked up to him. A heart monitor, an IV, and an oxygen mask are the only things you know. You are instanly brought back to the moment you saw your own father like this, and your heart shatters even more not able to look at him.

The nurses were gone, making him as comfortable as possible. In a medical induced coma. Javier had told you that the two of them were out by the river, laying that new fence that Chucho had been putting off for years. All of a sudden he was holding his arm and fell to the ground. “The paramedics came and we were flown to the hospital. Best chance of surviving they said” he continues as you both watch the lines are the heart monitor move. A slow steady rhythm.

A hand on his thigh, the other rubbing his tense shoulder “he’s gonna be ok. He’s tough” you try to comfort him

“I can’t lose him…” he cries

“I know, I know” you put your forehead on his bicep, hand still trying to soothe the tension. You are willing your tears to not fall, to be the strong one for him. His chin falls against his chest. His hand tightens around yours. His breathing starting to even out the longer the two of you sit there. Your presence making him feel safe in his darkness.

You aren’t sure how long the two of you sit there, the ER still buzzing, Chucho’s heart monitor still beeping, the hiss of the oxygen machine still all around you. The curtain is pulled open and a young man in a white coat steps in. “Mr. Peña we will be moving your father upstairs in a few hours. But visiting hours have ended. You may come back tomorrow” you nod, Javier’s hand squeezing you tighter.

“Yes sir” you nod your head, standing up. Javier right next you, his hand still holding yours.

The doctor turns and pulls the curtain closed behind him. You turn towards Javier wrapping your free arm around him giving him one last hug before you leave. He holds on to you, hating himself for what he is about to ask, “I really hate to ask this, but do you…would you…can I get a ride home. I just, I don’t have…”

“Of course”

The car ride was silent, Javier starring out the passenger side window, you flex your fingers on the steering wheel. If you would have told yourself you’d be in this position a few weeks ago, you would have laughed. Javier Peña hadn’t been in your life for almost 15 years. He had went to Colombia for work you had moved on. Find a new man, a man who helped fix the broken pieces he had left behind, and in a few days you’d be marrying that man. But there was something about Javier, there was that part of you that would always love him despite the past. You pull into the long dirt road that leads to the Peña’s house. You had spent many days here in your younger years, more time when you started dating Javier in high school. Then when Javier left you still kept the Taco Friday night with Chucho and helped with some household chores as he got older.

“I’m sorry…I’m sure you had better things to do then spend them at a hospital with me” he says softly, neither of you have moved since you stopped at his front door. “I didn’t know who else to call”

“Javier, stop apologizing. Please, you know I’d do anything for him” you sigh “I’d do anything for you” you think as Javier’s stomach grumbles “have you eaten anything?”

“No” he stares at his hands picking at his fingernails “I don’t deserve your kindness after everything”

You unhook your seatbelt and kill the lights opening your door. “Where are you going?” He asks watching you as you step out

“Making you dinner, get out of the car Javier. You need to eat” you close your door and walk in front of the car. Javier still sitting in the passenger seat. You open his door, “I said get out of the fucking car Peña”

“Why are you doing this?” He asks, looking up at you with those brown eyes and unshed tears

“Because, believe it or not I still care about you and Pops. He’s going to need you to be strong for him. And you can’t do that on an empty stomach. Now will you please get out of the car”

After a few minutes of pleading with him, you convinced him to get out of the car. You reached into his coat pocket to grab the house keys to let yourself in. It’s like the house was frozen in time. Pictures of Mrs. Peña still on the wall, photos of Javi’s graduation, pictures of the two of you at prom. A photo of him and Loreanne and the failed wedding, and a photo of the day he said good-bye to you and his family. He follows behind you to the kitchen, you set your jacket on the back of a chair and open the fridge pulling out what little ingredients they had.

“I can’t lose him…” he cries leaning against the door frame. Holding the coffee cup that had been sitting on the table after their breakfast. The cup Javier said he’d wash when they got done with the work outside

You turn to see him, the glass shaking in his hands. You set the leftover steak you had found on the counter, and gently take the glass from his trembling hands. Setting it back on the table, holding his hands to your chest. Placing a gentle kiss on his knuckles “I know…I know Jav. Look, go take a shower, breathe and know that I’ll be here when you get out” you brush a stray hair that had fallen over his forehead “he’s a tough, stubborn man and it’s going to take a lot more then a heart attack to stop him” that comment of stubborn earns you a half smile and a little nod of his head.

“Thank you…” he whispers his forehead leaning down to touch yours “I don’t deserve you” he mumbles

You nod in return and drop his hands and move back towards the counter as he walks down the hall to the bathroom. Pulling out a cutting board and finding a knife you stare at the ring on your finger. The diamond shining in the light “he doesn’t have to know…he’s away on work. It’s fine” you say to yourself.

A shower, and a dinner later you find yourself sitting with Javier on the couch, mindlessly watching the images on the screen. His head on your lap, your fingers in his hair. Massaging his scalp, it was easy to fall back into this life with him, it felt normal. It felt right. You don’t know when it happened but you had dozed off at some point of the movie. Your legs had been moved so you were laying on the couch and blanket drapped over you. The TV was off, the lights out it takes you a moment to remember where you were.

You made your way to the bathroom, washing your hands you open the door and turn the light off. Seeing the glow of a night light coming from Javier’s old room. The door cracked open just enough you could hear him mummering something to himself. You tap the door gently as it slowly swings open. “Jav?” You question looking into the room, seeing him sitting on the edge of his bed. Tears streaming down his face again, he winds and unwinds his fingers together.

“Hermosa, I didn’t wake you? I’m sorry…I was trying to let you sleep” he says as you shuffle over to him, sitting next to him on the small bed “I can’t sleep, I just keep thinking of what…I can’t lose him”

You wrap your arms around him, “I know…it’s ok…” you comfort him. His head falls to your shoulder, tears falling like a waterfall down his cheeks, “I know” you continue to tell him

He lifts his head, his forehead moves to lean against yours. Your hands move to cup his face, wiping away tears that continue to fall. His eyes searching yours for answers that you wish you had for him. “I can’t lose you…” he says before his lips find yours in a tentive kiss. When you don’t stop him, his lips mold themselves to yours. Your hands move from his cheek sliding into his hair. Javier’s hand moves to your waist pulling you closer to him, his tongue sliding across the seam of your lips, begging you to let him in.

You should stop, you know you should stop. He’s not your fiancé, he broke your heart years ago. But kissing him was easy, natural, it was wrong but it felt so right.

His hand grabs the fabric of your hoodie and starts to lift it up, exposing your skin to the cool air. You open your mouth just enough for him to take advantage of it slipping his tongue, you moan making a fist and pulling his hair. Your heart starts racing with each brush of his tongue. You finally have to pull away to catch your breath, face still next to his. “Javi, we…” you try to say but his lips cut you off.

His hand moves, wrapping around your waist and pulling you even closer to him. The kisses are slow, not hurried or rushed. It’s like he is rediscovering you, wanting to make the moment last. He pulls your legs up to drap over his thighs, laying you back gently until your head hits the pillow. His lips pull away, kissing your cheek nipping at your jaw just before moving his lips to your neck. Wondering if that little spot just below your ear still makes you moan his name in pleasure.

It does.

“Wwwwwwe, I….” you hum, you can feel his lips smile against your skin. “Jjjjjjaaav”

“I’ve missed hearing that” he pulls away. His body hovering over yours, his eyes dark. Lust, sorrow, guilt, sadness it’s written all over his face. He leans down to you again before the next words stop him

“We shouldn’t do this…” you say quietly fingers brushing some hair behind his ear “It’s your…you are in a emotional state…I’m engaged, Jav” he sits up and you push yourself up

His head falls to his hands, and you move yourself so your legs are hanging off the bed. Feet on the ground. Your hand rubbing up and down his back, “I’m sorry. Look you need some sleep, I’ll come back tomorrow to check on you”

You start to stand up from the bed when his hand reaches for you, “will you please stay with me?” His hand holds you as a life line “I’m sorry, I just I don’t want to be alone…he’s all I got” he chokes out the last few words.

You nod; sitting back down in the bed. You lay back and open your arms for him to curl into. His head finds a place on your chest, your fingers return to his head. Gently massaging it, his breathing begins to even out, you feel the tears dampen your skin you know he’d deny let fall. His arms hold you, like a child in the night holding their favorite stuffed animal in hopes to keep the bad dreams away. You turn your head just enough to kiss the top of his head, before closing your eyes and drifting off to sleep knowing all to well the morning will come soon

One hand bracing himself against the headboard, the other lifting your leg higher up his waist. His teeth grazing over your earlobe whispering words of praise in your ear, all you can do is moan in response. Your nails scratching down his back, the snap of his hips becoming harder, faster with each sigh of his name.

He was always gentle with you, making love instead of fucking. It had been a while since he had been with someone, even longer since he had been with you. But the way his body fit to yours, the way your bodies moved in sync, it was like you hadn’t missed a beat. The bed creeking with every thrust, “yes…please, Jav…riiiiig yes….” you say as you get closer to the edge.

His lips find yours ago, a sloppy kiss compared to the precision of everything else, a tug of on your lips, and a flex of his hand on your waist, you soon clamp around him. A feeling you haven’t had in a long time. Your fiancé has made you come, but nothing like the way Javier did. Your entire body on fire, the feeling of being worshiped like a Queen.

“Shiiiiiit…shit” he grunt as you tighten around him even more, his cock twitching as you cry out his name in pleasure and his warm seeds fills you. He leans down, kissing you in a much more romantic way. Slow movements as he rocks his hips riding out his high. Your fingers finding their favorite place in his soft brown hair

His alarm clock rings, ruining the moment of bliss. He breaks the kiss and the hand that was holding your hips flies to the night stand. Knocking the alarm clock to the floor. His head resting in the cruck of your neck. His lips leaving butterfly kisses to the bare skin he can reach. Your fingers trailing up and down his spine, while is softens inside of you. If you could, you’d stay in this moment forever, but the man you just made love to you is not the man that you should be laying naked in bed with.

He slowly pulls out of you, and whine at the sudden loss of him. Kissing your forehead before he shuffles off to the bathroom. The morning light filter through the thing curtains. The light bouncing off the diamond. The ring weighing a ton as the images of the early morning replay in your mind. You sit up, eyes roaming the room to find where your clothes had be tossed to. You hands cover your face; shame, regret, confusion…you know it was wrong, but it felt so right.

You stand on shaky legs, your back to the door as you bend over to grab your bra and hoodie that been thrown across the room. “The fuck are my pants…” you say to yourself as Javier walks back into the room. You turn when you hear the door creak open, your shorts on the desk by the door.

“I brought you, where are you going?” He asks holding the warm damp cloth

“I have to go” you grab the cloth cleaning yourself just enough to pull your shorts on

“Hermosa…” he says softly, almost pleading with you his arm blocking the doorway

“Javi, don’t” you avoid his eyes, knowing that the look will make you second guess yourself “Please, let me go”

“Hermosa,” he says again

“I’m getting married, tell Chucho I’ll see him soon” you turn to look at him. His soft brown eyes welling up with tears and you swallow hard

“Don’t marry him” his voice cracks

“Why?”

“Because I love you” he leans in to kiss you and you move away from him “Hermosa, please…”

“I get married in two weeks, I hope to see you there. Be safe Jav”you walk back towards the living room where your keys and shoes still lay. Not looking back, knowing if you do you’d never leave the house

You didn’t expect him to say yes, but you were thrilled when Chucho said he would be honored to give you away. Even though you were an adult when your parents passed, Chucho filled that father roll.

You stare out the window, overlooking his family and friends, joining the few people you had invited. “Mija, you know you can’t let them see you before the big moment” Chucho’s voice fills the empty space.

“Hey…” you turn to see him, wiping a stray tear that starts to fall “look at you, you know your gonna be fighting the ladies off with that suit” you smile at him

He brushes his shoulders, “Really?” he asks “I haven’t worn this thing in years”

“Very handsome” you move over to him wrapping your arms around him “thank you so much for being here. It means…” you voice cracks

He wraps his arms around you. Lifting his cane he’s been using to help hold him. “Mija, it means the world that you would ask”

You pull back to look at him. Smiling when you see the sparkle in his eye. It really did mean a lot to him. You were the daughter he never had. You try look behind him to see if he was standing back there, you tried your best to not let him see, but he’s Chucho…he sees all

“I don’t think he’s coming” he sighed “he can he so stubborn sometimes”

“I wondered where he learned it from” you raise he eyebrow with a small smirk and he shrugs with a slight chuckle

“Oh oh, I have something for you” you steps back reaching into his pocket. He pulls out a red velvet box “a bride needs something old, new and blue…this covers all three”

You take the box from his hands and flip it open. Inside a necklace with a sapphire. Beautful shades of blue and purple as the light hits it. Your hands shaking with emotion and how much this means to him knowing it was his late wifes. You begin to say his name, but his finger sushes you. “She’d want you to have it, it’s old…new to you. And blue”

“Thank you,” you fingers brush over the chain of the necklace.

“Turn…turn…Mija let me put it on” you takes the box from you and hooks the chain around your neck. Looking down the pendant sits perfectly on your chest. Just above the neckline of your dress. You turn back around to show him. Putting his hands together “you look beautful”

“It’s perfect…thank you”

Chucho left you, you stand in front of the full length mirrior, you slipped in the heels and finally added the final touch of your veil. Your hands slide over your stomach, you try to convince yourself it’s just nervous but you know damn well it isn’t. You close your eyes, signing deeply and telling yourself there will be time to cry later.

“You look like an Angel” you’d recognize that voice anywhere, it was the voice playing over and over in your head.

“You came” you open your eyes and watch his reflection in the mirror as he gets closer to you

“There’s still time ya know” he’s close now, close enough to run a finger down your bare arm

You turn your head, his face inchs from yours. You breath him in; whiskey, nicotine gum and a scent that is uniquely Javier Peña. You shake your head, you wish is was him at the alter, you had wished that for so long. You reach up and cup his cheek, thumb brushing across his ear. “I can’t…” you pull your face back and you have to look away from the eyes, the eyes that you’ve always loved.

The room is on fire, your skin burns and it’s like you're suffocating. There’s a balcony on the other side of the room, away from praying eyes that are down below. Picking up the dress you all but run to the open door. Hands fall to the rail the moment you step outside, breathing fast, he follows you. A hand on your back “Hermosa…”

“Why now, after all these years? You’ve had all the time in the world and now…NOW is the time you decide you love me?”

“I’ve always loved you”

“Bullshit,” you yell “that’s some fucking bullshit. You and I both know that. What about that brunette?”

“What?” He’s confused, his eye brows furrow and he shakes his head “how do yoooooo”

“I went to see you, bought a one-way ticket to Colombia…you know, surprise you. Bring a little piece of home that I thought you were missing. But clearly I wasn't it”

It was his second year working for the DEA, the letters to you were few and far apart. But Chucho got letters every week. One night at dinner, he had shared with you a certain letter. A letter that Javier had written saying how home sick he was. Work wasn’t what he thought it was. He was missing home cooking, family, friends…you. You had saved up some money and Chucho helped you get a plane ticket. You’d surprise him for the holidays, bring a little bit of home to him. But when you arrived at his apartment, you realized you were a distance memory to him.

“…I saw her walking out of your apartment in a little black dress. One heel on, one heel off and hair a mess. You followed close behind calling her name and holding her shoe” your hands flex on the railing at the image playing in your head “…then you step out, butt ass naked. Sex tousled hair. She wrapped her arms around you, kissed you and when she walked away you called her your amor”

“You came to see me?” His face still in shock

“Because I loved you Javier. I wanted to make you happy but clearly it wasn’t home you were missing. You were just missing a place to stick your dick” he goes to put his hand on yours and you pull away “I called your Dad and he helped me get home…I met Kyle a few months later. He picked up my shattered heart and put me back together”

“She wasn’t you, I was trying to fill a void. Sure, she was fun,” you roll your eyes and cross your arms “but I didn’t love her. I never could. She wasn’t you”

“It doesn’t matter. I am marrying Kyle. He’s a good man”

“You can’t tell me you didn’t feel something when we kissed. That you didn’t feel anything that morning”

“It was a mistake”

“But you felt something, I know you did” he pleads

“It was closure. Our story ending…” your voice cracks “I will always love you Javier, but there’s a man downstairs waiting for me. I’m sorry…” you take a step forward towards him. Placing a hand on his shoulder you lean in and kiss his cheek “…I wish things were different. And maybe in a different life they could be.”

You walk away, leaving him standing on the balcony alone. He stares at the spot you just stood. His heart racing out of his chest. His entire life flashed before his eyes. Almost losing his father made him realize things that mattered in life and what matter was you. The only real thing he ever cared about.

He stared at the now empty glass in front of him. The bartender cut him off after his 3rd drink. A record low for him. A beautiful red head approached him. Hand on his shoulder “is this seat taken” she cooed “looks like someone needs a pick me up”

Looking up from his glass as she sat down. He shakes his head, she wasn’t you. She wasn’t the woman he so desperately wanted to be sitting next to him right now. He wasn’t sure how long it has been since he had been cut off. Surely he was sober enough to drive by now. He grabbed the few dollars he had in his picked and set it in front of the woman “buy yourself a drink” he says standing up and walking away from the bar

It wasn’t that far of a drive from the bar he would frequent to the house. He should be home in no time. The light had just turned green and Javier moves his foot pushing down the gas pedal to resume his drive home, when suddenly he sees a bright light

The wedding March had started to play. Chucho places his arm out for you to take. You wrap your arm around his, and you step outside. Looking up you see Kyle. A navy blue suit with a black shirt and tie underneath. His strawberry blonde hair falling perfectly into place and his baby blue eyes staring at you. A smile spreads across his face seeing you in the dress for the first time. Your heart racing you come to a stop. You feel like the world is crashing down around you. He isn’t the one that you should be marrying. “I can’t do this…” you say softly “I’m sorry I can’t do this!” You yell and pull up the dress letting go of Chucho’s arm and running back inside.

You slam the door behind you, falling to the ground before you can even make it to the couch. You felt your heart shattering, and flood gates open behind your eyes. You barely heard the sound of your phone over your cries.

“Hello?” You sob

A man’s voice you didn’t recognize asks your name. His voice managed to say calm despite the sirens blaring behind him.

“Yes, this is her” you try to catch your breath

“Hello, this is Officer Riley with the county sheriff…” he says “you were listed as an emergency contact for Javier Peña”

“Is he ok?”

“He was in a serious car accident. He was air lifted to Swedish Hospital” your hand clenched around the chain on your neck “oh my God…no” you say to yourself “I would make your way there now. EMT’s at the scene did everything they could to stop some bleeding. He was hit pretty hard”

“I…yyyyy….tttth” you couldn’t even form the words

“Ma’am breath for me” Officer Riley tells you

“Thank you sir, I’m heading there now”

“Take care Ma’am”

You stumble to your feet, finding your purse still sitting on the small coffee table in the room. Grabbing you you try and walk to the door, reaching for the handle as it begins to open.

“Kyle”

“Baby…are you ok?” He asks concerned and you shake your head

“I have to go…” tears streaming down your face

“It’s him isn’t it?” He stops you from pushing past him

You nod, “Kyle I am sorry” you look up at him. You slide the ring off your finger, and reach for his hand. Placing it in his palm before wrapping his fingers around it “you are an amazing man. And you deserve a woman you loves you the same…”

He places the ring in his pocket, “are you sure?”

“I am” he lets you slide by him “for the first time in years, I am. I should have told you sooner, Kyle please…”

“Go…I’ll figure out how to tell everyone downstairs”

The heels tap against the white linoleum floor. Running to the closet desk, Chucho is not far behind. You come to a stop at the first desk, mind racing, heart beating out of your chest “Peña…Javier Peña. An officer told me he was here” you words flying out of your month

“Mrs. Peña?” The young nurse from behind the desk asks

Completely forgetting that you are still in the wedding dress when you look down, Chucho had caught up to you and hand on your back “yes…” he says matter of factly. You turn to look at him wide eyes and he smiles “…well as you can see. Almost”

“He is in surgery at the moment. I will take you to the family waiting room” she stands and makes her way around the desk

It’s empty, leftover paper coffee cups sit on a table from a previous family. Your heart tightens at the thought of the last words you spoke to him. You didn’t want the last memory to be seeing him standing there on that balcony. The nurse was talking to Chucho, closing the door behind her. Your feet carrying you from side to side in the small room. You feel arms wrap around you, you collapse into him. “I…he’s…” words fail you

“Shhh…shhh I know I know” you comforts you help you sit in a chair “I will be right back” he kisses the top of your head and disappears behind the now closed door

Minutes felt like hours, hours felt like days. He was out of surgery, for what you weren’t sure. The doctors words were just a buzz to you, you stare at him. Tubes coming out of his mouth, and nose. His head bandaged with gauze. His eyes black and blue with gashes along his cheeks. His right leg in a cast. The beeps of machines keeping him alive sound like explosions in your ears.

You walk over to his side, reaching for his fingers, the only part of him not hooked or covered by some kind of machine or tape. Your fingers wrap around his, tears still streaming down your cheeks. “I can’t lose you, I…we can’t lose you” you thumb brushes the back his fingers., “please…I need you”

Four weeks, it was four weeks before he started to remember what happened. Tubes were removed from his throat to help him breathe. The black and blue are now a light purple. The gashes all but healed. He could eat liquid foods now, and you never left his side. He didn’t talk much, or at all. The nurses had brought in a small cot for you to sleep on, it was late and your eyes finally falling closed

Over the course of time you had learned that he was hit by a drunk driver. Hit so hard he was pushed into another car. He had suffered a serious concussion from hitting the side of the car, shattered right ankle. The airbag deployed left the gashes along his cheeks. There was also a small possibility he could be paralyzed from the waist down due to the impact of the cars crashing together. You were lucky he was alive.

You woke up the next morning, the birds chirping outside, you turn over and look towards his bed. His soft brown eyes finally met yours for the first time in what seems like eternity. He smiles, and you make your way to the edge of his bed, brushing back some hair resting on his forehead and place a gentle kiss

“Hermosa” he replies sighing “I’m sorry”

“For what?” You sit on the edge of his hospital bed

“I always fuck everything up” he closes his eyes wishing things could be different. He remembers enough of what happened that landed him in the bed he now lays in.

“Hey, don’t do that. You’re here, you’re ok” you take his hand “why do you think you fucked this up?”

“You’re married to another man, a man that could have been me. If I would have just known you came to see me, it could be…it should be me”

“Javier…” you start when the door swings open

“Oh good, Mr. Peña you're awake” the nurse walks in cheerfully, “are you ready for a round of PT?” She makes her way to the bed where you sit with him

“What's the point?” He groans, “it’s not like I have a reason”

“You got Pops…he’s a good reason” you say and watch him roll his eyes “you have me”

You plead with him to go with the nurse. Telling him he still has a lot to give, something to fight for. This isn’t the way you wanted to tell him, you wanted it to be something special, something that wasn’t blurting it out. Not here, not now. “Jav I’m pregnant”

The wheelchair he has sat in stops, and spins back to you. His jaw dropped, “I’ll come back” the nurse says and quietly leaves the room. Javier’s eyes drifting to your stomach that had been covered by an over-sized hoodie every day. He shakes his head in disbelief

“What?” He questions, he wheels towards you “why does that matter. Congratulations to you and Kyle” he snaps

“It’s not his…” you sit on his bed “it’s yours. He doesn’t know”

You can feel his eyes burning a whole into you. You feel self-conscious about everything suddenly. He places a hand on your knee, your heart beating out of your chest. “It’s mine?” His voice is soft, scared and you nod “what about…”

“I didn’t marry him. I couldn’t. You were right. That kiss, it meant something. It meant everything” he reaches for your hands.

You tell him how when you were standing there, looking at Kyle all you wanted was it to be him. You loved Kyle, you did but he was never Javier. He never gave you the butterflies you feel when you're with him, he never looked at you like you put the stars in the night sky. You wanted to fight it, you wanted to deny it. The truth was that you were terrified he was going to leave you again, he broke your heart once you were worried he was going to do it again.

“I’ll be the man you deserve…the man you need. For you and for him”

“Oh you think it’s a him do you?” You smile placing your hands on your stomach

“I know it’s a son…” he leans forward taking one of your hands and placing a kiss there, “ok, where’s that nurse I got some PT to do”

“Mommy….mommy!!!” A little voice shouts running directly into your legs

“Hi there baby, what’s wrong?” You turn and bend down

“Daddy said I look like a princess” she twirls her dress

“And you do, you look beautiful Mija” you smile and wrap your arms around her tiny frame, picking her up as you stand up and look in the mirror. She touches the pendant that Chucho gave you. There’s a small tap at the door, you turn both of you to see Chucho dressed in a black suit

“la pequeña princesa…there she is” and the smile that spreads across his face lights up the room. He couldn’t be more proud of the small ray of sunshine you and Javier had created.

“Ab-wuuuu-lo” she squirms in your arms trying to break free. You grunt a little as she squirms more before you set her down watching her do something between a run and a skip to Chucho

“Princesa, look at you” he puts his hand over his head “you are the most beautiful flower girl I’ve ever seen”

“Sí” she smiles and twirls for him

“Do you have your basket ready?” He asks

“Sí, sí” she smiles

“And the flowers?” He takes her hand

“Sssssssí” she pulls him to lead him out of the room “Let’s go, ab-whoooo-lo, vamos” and you can’t help the snort you let out

As she leads him out of the room, you then back to look at yourself in the mirror. Taking the two small gold heart shaped stud earrings off the dresser and putting them in. Smoothing down the stomach area of your burgundy dress. A pair of large hands wrap around yours. A kiss placed to where your neck meets your shoulder and you hum in content.

“You know it’s bad luck to see the bride before the wedding” you sigh. Hand reaching behind you and threading through his hair

“Then it’s a good thing I’m already married to her” he kisses you again “you look stunning Hermosa”

It was true, you and Javier had married weeks after he was released from the hospital. You didn’t want to wait, but you also didn’t want to walk down the aisle pregnant. You went to the court house, said the ‘I do’s’ and promised that one day you would have a bigger wedding, a wedding where you could celebrate. You make eye contact with him in the mirror. It didn’t matter how many times you’ve seen those eyes before it always made your heartbeat a little bit faster.

“Thank you” he says resting his chin on your shoulder

“Mmm, for what?” you ask leaning your head against him

“Giving me a second chance, for letting me love you. For loving me…for giving me the best gift in our little princess. I don’t know how I deserve it. But thank you”

“Because, I love you”

“I love you too”

#Pedro Pascal #Pedro Pascal Characters #Javier Pena #narcos fic #Narcos AU #Pedro Pascal Character FanFic #Christina Writes

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fearsome-series · 11 months

Text

BOOK ONE | BOOK TWO | [BOOK THREE]

FIVE PEACE ON EARTH

“Surprise!” Katie announced.

“Go to hell,” Melissa replied, looking down at the cake sitting on the table in the rec room. “Happy Retirement? You stole me a welcoming cake?”

“No, we didn’t steal it,” Katie said.

“It was made for someone else though,” Javy answered.

“How thoughtful.” Melissa put her hands on either edge of the table. “Want me to knock your stupid cake on the floor?”

“No. If you don’t want it we’ll have it.”

Melissa took her hands off. “Then have it. I already ate.” As she returned to her room, one of the metal flaps shook; she shot a glance at it. Besa’s face peaked back from the crack. “If you do anything to celebrate my arrival, I’ll turn you to stone.”

“You turn people to stone…?” She said, clearly afraid. Heh.

“Want to find out?” Melissa smiled a big, stupid, fake grin, and went back to her room undisturbed. She lifted the flap, sat down on the rough mattress they placed on the concrete. She had a lamp on the floor next to her and nothing else. She started to unlatch her goggles, and -

Knock knock. June. Only a couple days and Melissa already knew her pattern: knock knock KNOCK, knock knock, KNOCK KNOCK. Melissa reluctantly re-latched her goggles and threw open the flap. “What do you want?”

“I only wanted to check in on what went down the other day in group.”

“Nothing went down.”

“That’s my point! I wanna check in that you’re making friends and influencing people. That’s an old book, y’know. Not saying you need to -”

“Is there a book called ‘shutting up and leaving people alone’? You could really use that one.”

“Aw, gee, I don’t think so, but if that’s what you really want, I’m all about respecting your boundaries. But sometimes, when your boundaries are being broken, that’s the best time to process what’s troublin’ ya.”

“Here’s a thought: go process your brain worms.”

“You’re gonna be here a while, ya know. Might as well get to know everyone. Get to know the vibe of the place.”

“Okay, teacher, can I ask a question?”

“Shoot.”

“How many suicides has this place seen? How many people got too bored of steam pipes and bricks and - “ She mimicked hanging herself.

“That’s not a very funny thing to say.”

“An answer like that implies the answer’s not zero. Now, did you wash up the blood yourself? Did you paint a little yellow flower over it? Did you give a eulogy about the power of positive thinking and just keeping up your goshforsaken spirits? Well, Gosh is dead, sweetheart. Live with -”

BRRNG BRRNG BRRNG of an alarm, flashing lights down the corridors, the raising of metal…

***

They walked across a small beach, to a wooden pier that creaked in the waves, a pier that looked out over the city.

“Biggest pier on Earth. So long there’s a train out to the end.”

“Wow.”

“There’s this little theme park by it. Adventure Island. I went in a couple times.”

“1 AM. It’s so quiet. Just us and the waves.”

“Aye. Sometimes, the night’s beautiful.”

“What’s the most beautiful part?”

Clive paused. “I’ll be honest. I really can’t see a bloody thing. ‘Sides you.”

“I forget you have eyes meant for...daytime...awakeness.”

“I’ve only been nocturnal for a year. I’m not ready to count my eyes out yet.”

Frantic flapping, and Malphas flew in low.

“Someone’s coming! Two men!”

“Are they Agency?” Clive asked.

“I don’t know!”

Eliza pulled herself to her feet. “We should go.”

“No.” Clive sat where he was. “We have as much of a right to be here as they do.”

“I know we do, but-”

Clive crossed his arms. “We always run and hide. Hear a person outside the docks, we cower and hide away for twenty minutes. Creeping around downtown so that a hipster doesn’t see us. We can’t keep doing that.”

Eliza debated what to do. And she decided to stand her ground. Clive rose up, and joined her at her side. Two men ambled down the path. They were white, middle-aged, and one seemed familiar to Eliza, though she couldn’t place how. Both were overdressed for walking the lake at 1 AM, and Eliza suspected their motive wasn’t simple jogging or fishing.

She prayed that they would go by, willing them to leave. But they made a beeline for the pier. She took Clive’s hand. He held it tightly.

“What do we have here?” He was graying and stocky, and when he spoke his voice was gravelly, like a smoker’s.

“Jeeeeesus,” the other man - the familiar one - was brown-haired and serious, his face like a disappointed teacher’s. “What tree did you fall out of?”

“If I looked like you, I’d -” The gravelly-voiced man mocked holding a gun to his head. “BLAM!”

“I hope you’re aware this is our spot.” The other man said.

“You don’t own it.” Clive replied.

Clive held firm, but Eliza was glancing around. Trying to find an exit if things went south.

“I don’t know where you got the idea we were asking you.” The gravelly voiced man said.

“You never asked me to leave.”

“That part was implied.”

Eliza watched helplessly as the familiar looking man punched Clive in the gut. Her boyfriend doubled over in pain. Adrenaline surged through her body. She let out an involuntary hiss. Her fangs glistened. Her claws trembled, anticipating a strike. But could she do it?

“Get out!” The man spat in Clive’s face.

No. She couldn’t. She took Clive’s hand, yanking him to his feet. They ran. Clive shook with rage. Eliza kept looking back, afraid they would follow. They ran past the Union and up the hill, using the surface entrance they were never supposed to use, Eliza seeing danger within every shadow.

They scurried through the tunnels and collapsed onto the well-worn couch.

“I’m sorry I couldn’t…” Eliza said.

“There was nothing you could do. I shouldn’t have made you stay.”

“No. We had to try it.”

“We’ll go back in our rooms. See the world through a little window in the zoo. And he’ll go back to his job, his family, his house…”

“We could still go out.”

Clive hung his head low. “Not anymore. It...it’s not safe anymore.”

“It’s not fair.”

“I know.”

***

Malphas flew over State, and Laura, Manuel, Eliza followed on foot. It was evening, but the traffic was heavy. They were passing a theater, where a show was about to start; through the windows, Laura could see many people buzzing about beforehand.

“Are you, uh, okay?” Laura asked.

“Yeah, I am now,” Eliza answered. “You?”

“Yeah…no. But. Yeah. No.”

“How about you?” Eliza looked at Manuel.

NO :).

“I saw things. When it was singing to me. I saw my family and where I grew up, and…did you hear it?”

I DIDN’T SEE ANYTHING.

“Yeah.”

“What did you see, Wolfgirl?”

“Uh…my family, I guess…hey!”

Laura watched as Eliza and Manuel were caught among a crowd of people - and before she could follow, Laura found herself pushed back and forth by groups rushing to get in. People were all around her, a crowd, packing her in, breathless.

When the crowd dissipated, she found herself half a block down. She looked back. No Malphas. No Eliza or Manuel or…

She reached in her pocket. No Gef.

But something else caught her eye. Caught something even deeper. Captured all of her attention, all of her thoughts and worries and hopes.

***

A glittering marquee for another theater, across the street. She found herself drawn to it, as if sleepwalking.

No one was in the ticket booth. No shows tonight, a sign said.

A ticket popped up anyway.

***

“Did the ghost do something to your voice?” Eliza asked, feeling very stupid as the words left her mouth, but unable to stop them from emerging.

Manuel shook his head. SOMETIMES WHEN I GET OVERWHELMED IT HURTS TO TALK.

“Overwhelmed by…the ghost?”

NO :( THE COP

“I’m…sorry for running out on you…” Eliza scratched the back of her head; the pinprick of pain surprised her, and she drew back her flat, human fingers with dots of blood.

YOU DIDN’T RUN OUT ON US, YOU WERE FOLLOWING MALPHAS AND WEREN’T STOPPED.

“It wasn’t my fault?”

NO :)

“Why does it hurt to talk? Did the smoke hurt your throat?” The words felt very stupid again, but they wouldn’t stop emerging.

I DON’T KNOW, IT HURTS. IT’S BECAUSE… Manuel trailed off his writing. I’M AUTISTIC.

“Oh. Um, that’s okay, I’m the chupacabra.” Why, throat? Why?

Manuel looked up from the ground, and stared right in her eyes, and raised his eyebrows; then he looked back at Laura for a reaction, and…

“Did she run off too?” Eliza said, with a weird hint of very, very stupid pride.

***

Inside the theater, Laura found herself in a lobby: expansive, but empty. The darkness was only broken by a faint, flickering light from a half-open theater door.

She walked over. Her mind was beginning to wake up. Beginning to scream, beginning to thrash against its current daze. She couldn’t feel something controlling her; in fact, she could barely feel anything at all.

Laura pushed open the doors and entered a theater, its stage lit by a droning projector. It chugged along, projecting images Laura couldn’t understand. A montage: a gray sky, a pair of eyes unattached to a body, a mountain. A few images kept repeating: a man with long hair, wearing rags. A strange, black shape that hurt to look at.

But then the images changed.

It wasn’t images from another being’s life. It was her own.

Laura, in the house. Laura, in the woods. Laura, 9th grade, before the bite.

But then the projector groaned, and the images changed again.

The cop, the one in the hospital and the one on the Square. The hospital, the slice of claws, the spray of red. Laura’s face transforming.

A werewolf crouched over a body in a police uniform, its maw stained red with blood, chunks of spleen stuck between its - her fangs. Laura’s eyes, wide.

“Don’t you want it?” “Don’t you want revenge?” “Don’t you want to be strong?” Voices, she couldn’t see from where. “You could have it.” “You can have it!” “Don’t you want it?”

“I…” She did want it. She did, in a great deep secret place, wish she could stand up to the people who hurt her, who dismissed her, and therapeutically rend their flash with her fangs and claws. Only if they make the first move, of course.

But…

Distantly, the projector chugged, a hiss pierced by pops. But Laura was walking down the aisle, down between the chairs, down towards the screen, set up at the end.

She reached out to it, and a hand reached out from the screen and reached out for her…

She was pulled back, spun around to face Eliza, who let her go, and Manuel, standing by the projector. “Let’s get…” Eliza grabbed Laura’s hand, missed, found it, grabbed more forcefully. “Let’s get out of here.”

She tugged her up the aisle, leading her, carrying her; she heard a grinding of metal and an explosion of dust. The same strange dust Malphas kicked up; it flew around her, a storm that gave her painful, hacking coughs. She doubled over, but couldn’t stop, let Eliza carry her. As they reached the top of the theater, they saw a man, a thin man, dark, who rose a bow…

Something within the dusk shrieked; something unseen, as Laura didn’t turn back…dust flew around her, and…

Something cold brushed her leg, and she yelped; Manuel took her other hand, and the three of them charged out the door, charged down the street, not heeding the stares of the people around them. Pounding, breathless, taste of iron in her throat; they didn’t stop until they reached a small park, with a white post. On it was etched the letters

in English, Japanese, Spanish, and Hmong.

They collapsed onto a bench; Manuel stroked her hand, before stopping to pull out his notebook and write WHAT DID IT SHOW YOU?

“You don’t want to know.”

“You should really tell us,” Eliza said.

“It showed me…a lot of blood.”

A street musician strummed an off-key guitar on the corner, warbling out something about his mother.

“Your blood?”

“No,” Laura said simply, and Eliza seemed to understand.

I WONDER WHAT IT WOULD SHOW ME… Manuel wrote. WHY IS IT TAKING PEOPLE?

“Did you hear voices?” Laura asked.

“Yeah,” Eliza answered.

“Maybe that’s why it wants us. It has some messed up chorus stuck in there and it needs a few members.”

DO YOU THINK IT WOULDN’T TAKE ME BECAUSE I’M NOT TALKING?

Laura shrugged. “I don’t know.”

Manuel’s eyes glanced around a bit, then he pointed his pen at where he wrote WHAT DID IT SHOW YOU?

Laura leaned in. “It showed me…it showed me being able to defend you two. It showed me me all transformed, and…” Manuel nodded, and Laura stopped talking.

“We should call the Doc,” Eliza suggested, pulling out her phone.

“She has a number? Aren’t you not allowed to use phones?”

“It’s some encrypted app.” Eliza stepped out to wrestle with her phone.

Malphas swept down and perched by Manuel. “Ah, not-a-wolf, you found your dear compatriot?”

WE DID.

Gef suddenly appeared on the post, and lunged off it, tackling Laura right in the face.

“Gef!”

“Hardly trying to maintain the facade, eh?” Gef hissed at Malphas and reared up. “Abandoning us again, you -!”

HE WAS LOOKING FOR LAURA. WHERE WERE YOU?

“I? Why, knocked out of Laura’s pocket I was, by the ravenous hordes of -” He groaned in horror. “Theater people. Nearly crushed me on my way back! They’ll never know what evil they abetted tonight, but the Devil will, I’ll tell you that much.”

YOU DON’T LIKE THEATER PEOPLE?

“Why should I?”

YOU’RE SO… Manuel paused his writing. DRAMATIC

“HOW DARE YOU! Betrayer! To think I rode on your shoulders!”

Laura knocked Gef off her face. “I’m feeling kinda shaky still, Geffrey, so…”

Gef scrambled up Manuel’s side and jumped into his bag. “Onward?”

Manuel sighed. ONWARD…:(

***

Eliza’s phone finally connected. “Doctor Sjöberg, we -”

“We’re on high alert,” Sjöberg said. “Nothing to be afraid of for you on the surface, but an alarm in the tunnel triggered and we have yet to clear it, and cannot come or go until that time.”

“Doc, the ghost hunt isn’t going well. The ghost is dangerous. It’s already taken people.”

“That’s…quite concerning. Miss Keita is on the surface, you should ask for her assistance while we clear this lockdown.”

“Jainaba? Doc…it already has her.”

“What?”

“It has her and one other person, we don’t know who that is. But…”

“Hang on. Do you have her number?”

“No, I don’t.”

“Let me contact her, then. See if we can still reach her…”

***

Singing and wind and emptiness, total, desolate emptiness, a quiet of the kind Jainaba had never experienced before, that you could never experience in the world outside the…outside the ghost.

All broken by the ringing of her phone.

She drew it from her pocket. Dr. Sjöberg. She picked up. “Doc?”

Static, and…

Beep beep.

***

“The Tunnels can’t help us,” Eliza said, putting down her phone. “They’re on lockdown. Sjöberg tried calling Jainaba, but…she says all she heard was this grinding noise, and over it some chanting. Not her, though.”

“She’s still in there,” Laura said. “I saw her.” Laura remembered Jainaba’s hoodie: the only touch of color in that horrible, gray realm.

“It’s on us, Wolfgirl. Unless you know anyone else who could help us.”

JESSIE? Manuel scribbled down quickly.

“I don’t…I don’t want to call Jessie,” Laura said.

WHY NOT?

“She’s. She’s still mad at us going off on our own with the whole black dog thing, and I don’t, like, want to bother her again…”

LAURA.

“I’ll call Jessie.” Laura pulled out her phone; Jessie picked up quickly. “Jess, uh, it’s Laura. We’ve got ourselves into some trouble and we were wondering if you could help us out.”

“What kinda trouble?”

GHOST TROUBLE! Manuel pointed at what he wrote.

“It’s, uh, there’s a uh, supernatural thing that’s…that’s really supernatural. Really supernatural and, uh, paranormal also. But not…we didn’t run off into it this time, you know? Sjöberg wanted us to go.”

“The ghost?”

“She…she told you about it? Uh, great, well, we’re downtown and the ghost is…the ghost is, uh…”

“Can ya put Manuel on the line?”

“No…why, though?”

“No reason.”

“Yeah. Well, we may be eaten by a ghost, and we were wondering if you could do anything to help us, uh, not be eaten by a ghost. Which, yeah, ghosts do that. Or…they don’t eat eat people, but, uh…”

“Where are you?”

“Downtown. Uh, State at Gilman.”

“I’ll be right there. Hold tight.”

“We may have to move to follow the ghost.”

“I’ll find you all. My nose is strong enough. Stay safe ‘til I get there, though?”

“‘kay.” Jessie hung up. “Jessie should be on their way.”

Manuel patted the bench beside himself, and Laura took that seat; Eliza continued to pace, Malphas perched on the nearby building. “Sorry if this gives you a bad impression of the Tunnels. I’d understand if you don’t want to come down here anymore…”

“Uh, unless you’re fighting ghosts every single night, I’m not gonna hold up tonight as representative of the whole.”

“I’d understand it, Wolfgirl. That’s all I’m saying.”

“You’re not going to get rid of me that easily.”

“I’m not getting rid -”

“It’s a joke.”

Eliza paused, and laughed nervously. “If you have too much going on up here to join us down there, I’d…”

Manuel quickly scrawled something down. I’M VISITING YOU AS OFTEN AS I CAN :)

“Good…” Eliza blinked.

The street musician on the corner strummed his instrument. “This is my ghost song, this is my ghost song, the song of the ghost that lives under a bank and the ghost is America…”

Laura, Eliza, Manuel, and Malphas all exchanged confused looks.

“The ghost is white, and the ghost is cold, and the ghost is -”

“Are you hearing what I’m hearing?” Laura asked.

“Extremely bad poetry?” Malphas cawed, and they went over to check on him.

***

7:45.

“My name’s Bezoar I.L.M. Zop-Zo.”

He had the same beard as two-thirds the men Laura saw downtown, and a striped shirt and plaid jacket. He slung the guitar over his shoulder as he walked.

“Wow,” Laura said dryly.

“It’s not even a stage name. My mom had a way with names. The kind of way that involves a wrong turn. You know what a Bezoar is?”

“I didn’t ask.”

“It’s a lump that forms in somebody’s stomach from all kinds of gunk. They used to think it cured poisons. I’ve got a song about my mom naming me that…”

“Oh...nice…so you saw the ghost, right?”

Laura thought Bezoar was telling the truth, but she still doesn’t trust him - and wouldn’t have gone after him alone, only feeling safe due to Manuel and Eliza’s presence - and while she thought Bezoar had seen the ghost, she wasn’t sure he hadn’t been too strung out to see anything useful about the ghost.

They passed back up towards the capitol.

“Last night, I was out presenting a heart-poem…”

“A what?” Laura asked.

“Oh, yes, I must illuminate. During the day, I do songs everyone knows, for money. At night, I perform for only myself. I let my heart’s verses sing free!”

“...oh.”

“And then I saw it there!”

He pointed to the top floor of the State Historical Museum.

“Through the glass, shimmering bright! It assumed the form of cosmic dust, and I knew I had to follow it!”

“Why?” Eliza asked.

“We’re all stardust, are we not? I couldn’t deny a herald of the cosmic unconscious.”

“It went up there!” Bezoar raced around the Square, retracing his steps. “There! There!”

Laura wished he’d just tell them where it went instead of roleplaying every step. She followed him to the all-glass building, which was half a bank, and half fancy restaurants.

“The bank?” Laura asked.

“Yes. That’s when I knew this was no cosmic herald. For a herald of the divine to step into such a temple to avar-”

“But what did it do?”

“It went through the glass. It passed right through, and then it sank into the realms of Mother Gaia.”

“It sunk in? What does that mean?”

“It means it went right through the floor and into the Earth. I could almost see this light. Not the ghost’s, but these little wisps. More manifestations of false consciousness.”

“...yeah...so the bank is haunted?” Eliza asked.

“Aren’t they all?”

“Like, man, I agree with you, but-” Laura said.

“Unkkk!” Tendrils of light hung down from nowhere, and looped around his armpits. They lurched him upwards. Up, towards a storm cloud of dust in the sky above; up, with force and speed.

“No!” Eliza jumped up and grabbed onto one of his feet.

Laura tried the same. She couldn’t reach. She fell back onto the sidewalk, where Manuel caught her…unintentionally.

“Help me! Help!”

The dust swirled and came together and became the full ghost. Eliza held on tight, but it only drew Bezoar higher. She found herself lifting off the ground with him.

“Eliza!”

Laura ran over and jumped for her. Still. Too. Short.

Eliza let go. She tumbled to the ground, landing by Laura. Helpless, they watched as Bezoar was swiftly pulled to the ghost, kicking and screaming.

“What are you doing?” It was the cop from the park.

“Help! Help!” The sickening crack of ribs, and Laura and Eliza looked away as the void consumed him.

“Answer me.” The cop said. “Do you know these two?” She pointed towards Eliza.

“I...I…” How could Eliza explain?

The cop crossed her arms. “Can I see some ID from you?”

As Bezoar was pulled in above them, as he screamed and kicked against glass, Eliza dug around in her hoodie pockets for her ID. An ID she never, ever had. She realized that the ghost had moved in: it was all around them. Its hands high. It tilted its head. Studied the two of them as the strange farce continued.

“If you could do this quickly-” Laura said.

The cop glared. “If you won’t present your ID, I’ll have to take you in. Turn around and put your hands behind your back…”

They looked up. The ghost was moving in. They knew they couldn’t run. Not with the cop on one side and the ghost up above. They waited. Let the cop step closer, let her start her work…

She screamed. They didn’t look up. They knew she was kicking in the air up above, kicking as she was dragged into the void…

Laura remembered what she saw in there. Imagined Bezoar in that lifeless plain. Imagined Jainaba.

Imagined…the cop too, she guessed.

Imagined Eliza. Imagined Manuel. Imagined Gef. Imagined herself, fading to nothing over an eternity. No. No…

“Four.” A male voice growled. “Four!” A girl cried. “Four!” A boy joined in.

The ghost dived them: floating down from the sky, tendrils whirling. Laura recoiled; knew she couldn’t be suspicious. Tried to hold still. Tried, tried, really tried. Others passed by.

To them, there was nothing.

Down the street walked the archer, at a deliberate pace, walking around a girl who giggled to whatever she was listening to on her airpods; she had no idea there was a man next to her, a man raising a bow.

“Not yet!” the girl yelled. “Not yet!” “Give me time!”

The archer notched an arrow, but a pair of men passed in front of him; he lowered his arrow, but held his head high, aiming at the ghost.

The ghost crumbled into dust. The archer walked off, past Laura, Manuel, and Eliza. The archer was gone. Bezoar was nowhere. Neither was the cop. Laura, Eliza, and Manuel were alone, and nobody around them knew why.

0 notes

adamwatchesmovies · 2 years

Text

The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent (2022)

The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent is the unhinged, hysterical, unexpectedly warm film you didn’t even know you were craving. This movie could never be remade because with any other actor, at any other time, it just wouldn’t work.

Actor Nicolas Cage (playing himself… sorta) is not the star he used to be. He’s divorced, can't connect with his 16-year-old daughter Addy (Lily Sheen), and the role he was asking for has gone to someone else. It's time to call it quits but before he can retire, he has some bills to pay. He accepts to attend the birthday party of billionaire Javi Gutierrez (Pedro Pascal) for $1 million - only to be recruited by the CIA, who believe his host is a world-renowned criminal.

Nicolas Cage has acted in every genre. He’s been award-winning good, and so bad he’s become a cult figure. That last one is particularly relevant. It means we have two kinds of Nicolas Cage fans. The first only like him in the likes of Ghost Rider and The Wickerman (2006). The second… just watch movies and remember all the good ones they saw him in. Could be Moonstruck, could be Face/Off.

Whichever team you cheer for, The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent (fantastic title) has something for you. Want a crazy performance? You’ve got it. More than once, Cage must confront “Nicky”, an imaginary, younger, more successful version of himself. His lines are for the ages. It’s the kind of thing you could never imagine so-called “serious” actors even considering but this man does it with wild abandon. It’s hysterical and uncovers a more serious, meta-level on which this movie can be enjoyed.

This is a fictionalized version of Nicolas Cage. The man does not have a daughter and as far as I can tell, has never considered abandoning the art of acting. This movie is fiction but it’s so fake it becomes real. When we hear him discuss The Cabinet of Doctor Caligari, what he’s saying can’t have been scripted. When he describes why he wants this role that totally wouldn’t fit him, you’re brought back to that time you saw him in Con Air. You wonder if this scene hasn’t played out in real life - albeit a little differently. More than once, the script pokes fun at his career blunders but it’s done with so much affection he must’ve approved it, maybe even suggested it to director Tom Gormican (who co-writes with Kevin Etten). There are so many references to Cage’s past films you'll find yourself looking fondly at his career - warts and all - and falling in love with the man all over again. This Nicholas Cage is passionate about acting. He’ll take a role just because it’s challenging, contains some cool dialogue because it allows him to do some stunt he’s never done before, or reminds him of something he loves.

The plot is wonderfully absurd and completely unpredictable. You think you know where things are headed but then someone will be dual-wielding pistols and you’re thrown completely for a loop. Is this scene real? Is it a fantasy inside Cage’s head? Something else? One thing’s for sure: it’s wonderful and teeming with creativity.

This is one smartly-written script packed with so many details there’s no way you’ll catch them all on a single viewing. Equally surprising are the quieter scenes with Pedro Pascal. He and Cage are so good together you kind of want the opening scene that promises action to just… go away so the whole movie can be about them just hanging out. Can Tom Gormican have his cake and eat it too? Yes. Even better, it then manages to say something about filmmaking without wagging its finger at the audience and also gives us more of that classic Nicolas "Action" Cage we got to love so much in the ’90s.

Wholly original, The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent has big laughs in all sorts of unexpected ways. It's bug-nuts and if you want funny but not that wild, it's that too. Maybe this is what we wish Nicolas Cage was like. Maybe this is what he really is like. Either way, it's an experience you won't soon forget. (Theatrical version on the big screen, April 20, 2022)

#The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent #movies #films #Movie Reviews #Film Reviews #Tom Gormican #Kevin Etten #Nicolas Cage #Pedro Pascal #Sharon Horgan #Ike Barinholtz #Alessandra Mastronardi #Jacob Scipio #Neil Patrick Harris #Tiffany Haddish #Ricard Balada #2022 movies #2022 films

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assless-chapstick · 4 years

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WAIT NO COME BACK, it's Daddy kink Charles slut again! We can't talk about Arthur's tattooed wedding band without talking about thEIR W E D D I N G. Who proposed? How? How long had they been dating? What was the ceremony like? Since Arthur isn't really religious and I don't /feel/ like Charles is either Can you tell that Charthur is my fave and I'll go down with this ship?

I’m having a rough night feller. Thanks for this!!

Arthur and Charles absolutely had one of those Gay™ moments where one of them starts to propose and the other is like “I was gonna propose!” like

They’ve been ddating three or four years, and they’d talk about it, once or twice; do they want to do the marriage thing, what it means to them, if it’s something they want or if just saying “always,” between the two of them, is enough… but I don’t think they ever decide on like a “yes, let’s.” Just an abstract “some day, yeah.”

So I think Charles waits until he’s finished law school, til he’s got his future locked down and is ready to start his life. He’s almost guaranteed a position, if he passes the bar, so he’s feeling pretty stable and ready to like… have a career and do the real grown up thing.

It’s at the like, party they have, after his graduation. It’s a little garden party, him and a couple of law school buddies all have a garden party, invite family and friends – of course Charles and his crew are the odd ones out, the rest of his friends have that family money – and it’s a nice, classy affair. Charles gets to wear a Nice Suit (the one Hosea tailored for him, cuz god be damned if any young man Hosea knows is gonna walk around wearing an ill-fitting suit), and Arthur dresses nice for the occasion too. Everyone’s there, I think ; John, maybe Javi, Dutch and Hosea, Tilly and Sadie (Tilly is a friend of Charles’s from his undergrad), Susan. Charles’s mom even flew in from Montana to watch him cross the stage.

And Charles has the ring in his pocket, he’s nervous as all fuck – knows Arthur will say yes, but wants this to be perfect… kinda wants to make Arthur cry, say something so touching Arthur cries!! He wants to!!

He’s also told like, everyone that Today is The Day, and they’re all playing it cool, though Dutch is SUPREMELY bad at playing it cool. He keeps like, winking at Charles every chance he gets and giving him thumbs up like “you got this 👍👍👍” and it’s like… jfc Dutch, fucking chill

So they’re hanging around, chatting, eating kosher hotdogs on artisanal gluten-free organic ancient grain buns (Beau’s dad hired the caterer and it’s the fanciest mediocre hotdog Charles has ever had in his life – Arthur’s disappointed that they hired catering cuz he fucking loves to grill), and Arthur is all like, “I’m gonna grab some more champagne, babe, you want some?” and Charles sees the perfect opportunity and he SNATCHES IT and is like “sure!”

And so Arthur turns, walks to the lil table and Charles gets down on his knee, has the little ring box in his hand, he’s fucking primed to strike, when Arthur turns around it’s fucking PROPOSAL TIME BABEYYY

When Arthur does turn around he kinda… jumps, a little, spills a little champagne, and then he’s… fucking laughing?? Laughing hard, like he can’t believe it, and Charles wasn’t expecting that at all… and Charles is like “Arthur Morgan –“

And Arthur is like “Shit!! Shit!!” and he’s still laughing and he gets on his knees, still holding both glasses of champagne, and holds one up for Charles to see and of course, of COURSE,

His cheese all fucking boyfriend stuck a ring in the champagne glass. Was gonna surprise Charles like that.

So then Charles starts laughing, and Arthur is laughing, and Arthur chugs the glass of champagne so he can get the ring, and Charles holds out one hand, and Arthur is like OH and so he chugs the OTHER glad of champagne so he can hold out HIS hand and they both slide the ring onto the others finger and then kind of just like… hold hands, and laugh, and press their foreheads together, and they don’t need to say anything, they just know, they’ve always known –

But then John (who has been dutifully filming the whole thing on his phone, like Arthur asked him to) is like “Well?? Say SOMETHING!”

So Charles goes “Will you –“ at the same time Arthur goes “Charles, I –“ and then they’re laughing again and mumble some nonsense no one can make out and then they kiss, and of course the whole fucking party stopped to watch and they clap and it’s embarrassing and stupid and fucking perfect…

The wedding ceremony itself is pretty low key. Dutch and Hosea are a pair of Old Queens, want something fancy and elaborate, but Charles and Arthur aren’t like that, and they’re not super religious, so they choose to have something secular and small and intimate, close family and friends only.

When Dutch n Hosea retired, they bought an acreage a couple hours outside the city (Dutch insists that land is the best form of capital to invest in or something idk) where they’ve got a couple horses n a lot of room, so that’s where they have the wedding. It’s the summer and the prairie grass is long and the chairs are mismatched, but that’s ok because it’s Charles and Arthur and everyone else they love and it’s perfect.

Of course Dutch and Hosea walk Arthur to the fuckin altar or whatever – Dutch wears red accents, Hosea wears blue, Arthur purple. It’s cute and cheesy and I love it?? Charles has a nice turquoisey pocket square and tie, and Tilly braids his hair for the occasion and he looks so fuckin sexy!!

A friend of Susan’s (Swanson!) officiates, John is Arthur’s best man and Tilly and Sadie are Charles’s maids of honour or whatever?? their vows are short but eloquent, and they agree – “Always.”

The reception is all food Susan and Arthur and Charles’s mom slaved over the day before, and they cut the cake with a fuckin tomahawk. I feel like they also do like, axe-throwing or something as like, a party game or whatever idk

At the end of the day, once the guests are all gone and it’s like 3am and they’re still a little tipsy, Arthur and Charles collapse into bed in one of the guest rooms and Christ, it’s been a long, stressful, nerve-wracking day, they don’t have the energy for wedding sex, they just wanna curl up and hold each other and go to sleep and –

And of course they can hear, real faintly through the walls, John and Javi in the next room, Javi all “quiet, flaquita, I know it’s your first time, you’ve been saving yourself for me, haven’t you? But you have to be quiet, that’s my good girl, love you so much… you’re so tight, darlin', we gotta go so, so slow – you feel that, how tight your virgin pussy is on me? My little bride, my little wife, my good girl, gonna cum in you, gonna make you mine, let your tight pussy milk –“

Arthur and Charles pass out in spite of the noise, and in the morning they wake up before the others and sit and have coffee together and are all “pass me the sugar, Mister Smith,” “It would be my pleasure, my darling husband.”

Arthur almost immediately starts calling Charles “the ol' ball-and-chain” and thinks it’s absolutely hilarious and Charles just rolls his eyes

Thanks for the ask, mister! It cheered me right up uwu

#the couch au

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smolbeandrabbles · 5 years

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Sway Pt.10 - Finale/Epilogue - Danny Rayburn x Reader (Bloodline)

Thank you to @mandy23b for her creative direction on this 😘

Part 1 / Part 2 / Part 3 / Part 4 / Part 5 / Part 6 / Part 7 / Part 8 / Part 9

Author’s Note: @stcphstrange I dedicate Sway to you. After Part 1 this series was no longer mine, but yours. And without you, none of this would ever have happened. I’ve said it a billion times, but words are genuinely not enough anymore. I owe this to you. Thank you ❤ This is the culmination of everything. If you want to know why I did what I did... The final scene here was always how this story was going to end. There’s so much throwback in this, it makes me really happy. Everything is left exactly where it should be. So I hope you enjoy the final part of this ride. 💜 This is for Danny! 💙 Disclaimer: As usual no characters from Bloodline are mine! Lyrics/Song not mine! Everyone else is fair game! Speaking of Lyrics, I gift you a playlist of every song I’ve used chronologically! Enjoy the Swaylist! Premise: After nearly 4 years, Danny Rayburn and you deserved to leave a Legacy that matched your love. It was up to you now to make that a reality... Words: 14,500+ Warnings: Swearing / A little bit of angst / Child Birth / Bloodline spoilers

Dearest Reader, This story was never Danny’s. It was always yours. Thank you for taking this journey with me, Linzi x

--- Man, this shit's unflatterin', all up in my head again I don't feel myself right now, maybe I should just lay down... I don't like myself right now, gotta find a way out What you feel is natural But I don't wanna feel this anymore Pick yourself up off the kitchen floor What you waitin' for? Girl, won't you stop your cryin'? I know that you're tryin' Everything's gonna be okay Baby girl, don't you hang your head low Don't you lose your halo Everyone's gonna be okay Baby girl Girl don’t hand your head low Don't lose your halo, don't lose your halo Girl, don't hang your head low Don't lose your halo, oh Girl, don't you stop your cryin' I know that you're tryin' Everything's gonna be okay Baby girl, don't you hang your head low Don't you lose your halo Everyone's gonna be okay Baby girl Everyone's gonna okay, baby... --- Your Parents House, Pre-Marco Meeting… “Y/N... I was thinking of sending a sympathy card to the Rayburn’s... do you want to sign it? Or will you send your own?” You turned around and looked at your mother like she was insane “Sorry? Who are you sending a card to?!” “Sally...” she read the look on your face again as it got worse... “...Or, maybe not. But I think we should give Nolan one.” “That’s better... much more appropriate. It’s not like they’re sending ME one is it? And I know who was more family out of Miami and the Keys. Hell, they should be sending YOU one.” “... Why do you hate them so much?” She asked it curiously, she wasn’t accusing you of anything. You sighed; “Everything they have ever done to Danny they have got away with... he sent me a letter I.... I just think they may well have had a lot to do with his death too... you know that shoulder thing I told you about?” “Yes... the car accident.” “Shit, really?!” You couldn’t believe it “They lied to you too?! Robert beat that injury into him. Because of what happened with Sarah... and they held Sarah over him for the rest of his life. You know they didn’t want Eve to have Nolan either right?” She put her pen down and crossed to you. You didn’t expect her to throw her arms around you; “Niña... why didn’t you say something?” “It’s not my place to come between you and your friends... or my business to tell you about Danny’s... But, now he’s gone... I kinda can’t stand you not knowing.” “Have you told your father?” You nodded “Yeah. As soon as he gave me the restaurant project... he needed to know everything...” “Then I will talk to him...” “About what?” You father had said some pretty choice words; you figured ties would be severed... You didn’t know how you felt about being the cause of the termination of an almost 15-year long friendship. But after Danny, you couldn’t help but think the Rayburn’s deserved it and your parents needed better friends. “Finding somewhere else in the Keys. We will certainly not be going back!” She sat you down and took your hands in hers, “Tell me everything, sweetheart... please... tell me everything...” You heard the front door slam announcing your father’s arrival, and he was surprised to see you both. “Girl talk…? Should I leave?” You shook your head “No. Papa. Stay. You need to hear all this too...” He looked to your mother and back to you “You told her about Danny?” “Yeah. But you both deserve to hear it all...” He sat; “Marco called me, he’s worried about you and the baby... sounds like the case isn’t closed.” He tipped his head “He’s a good man...” You nodded “He’s keeping me up to date… He’s a good friend, I’ll call him.” You took a deep breath, and once you had started there was no going back. Everything came flooding out, everything Danny had ever said about his family, everything you had heard from Eve... had observed for yourself. It felt better, to actually get it all out there. You realised just how much you knew and had kept to yourself. You knew by the time you had done you’d likely never have contact with the Rayburn family again. Your family were done. And you realised for once in your life, you didn’t care.

***

Your Apartment, Saturday, 12pm When Nolan returned to Miami from his first foray down to the Keys, you wondered if he would have the same impression of the Rayburn's that you did. You knew from experience that Danny had told him enough. You were surprised to find that he didn't. But, now, you couldn't trust a thing they had told him. Your reality was very different now... Danny had helped see to that; but you had to admit as friends of your parents your first interactions with them had left you feeling positive. It was just Danny... If Nolan had seen their interactions with Danny... If he knew their thoughts on him…?

You of course weren't going to just bring that up to the kid. But sitting here in your apartment trying to tell you that Danny was wrong, and he didn't get why Danny hated them and the Keys so much didn't exactly come off the way Nolan had wanted it to. You listened though. He almost gave up when he realised it wasn't having the effect he wanted - you still didn't want your baby to have anything to do with that part of Danny's life or family.

For the past few months of him being away with Eve you had been busy here. You were approaching the end of your own pregnancy, and you weren't sure if you were really ready to do this on your own. Despite the support network you knew you would have. Rebuilding the restaurant was taking time because you were adamant that everything would be exactly how it was before... Including staffing. Javi jumped at it before you even really had the chance to get the words out. Jason took the time, of course he wanted to return, but his best friend wouldn't be there anymore. Not only that, but you wanted him to be in charge!? "NOBODY knew Danny like you did. I'm not bringing in a head chef from nowhere... Jase... At least consider it." "I couldn't do what Danny did! I can't take his place!" “You can, I know you can. And I'm not asking you to replace him, but I need you... I can't reopen without you..." There was a heavy sigh "I don't want the title. Retire the title, it was his... And I can't promise I can do everything on the Menu... So much of that was Danny's own hard work. I can attempt it, and I can do the bits I can do, but some of it’s going to have to come off until I really get back into it. Even then..." "Jason... Honey... Don't worry about it. Absolutely, we'll do it your way - I'm more than happy to do that. But I need YOU in that kitchen... " When you started to talk about the restaurant, however, Nolan started to look uncomfortable. It made you hesitate... Then you made the mistake of asking him what was wrong. It upset you that he got upset, you rounded the table to him; " Nolan...? " " I'm sorry." "What? You don't need to be sorry! Don’t be ridiculous!" "I'm sorry!" Still he repeated it. You leant on the table next to him, more than just a little concerned "What for?" "It's my fault! He died and it's all my fault!" You were taken aback, what the heck was he talking about!?, Danny's death had nothing to do with Nolan... Why would he-? "Sweetie, what? No! Why would you say that?!" "B-because I did it. It was me! The restaurant was me!" You stared at him for a good while, not because you couldn't say anything, but because you knew by the look on his face that was the first time he'd ever confessed it out loud. You shook your head, and instead of doing anything he expected you to - leaving, getting mad, asking him to leave - you embraced him. "Oh... Nolan..." Danny owed money, you could already guess by the way he'd tentatively asked about insurance when Danny left, that Nolan had tried to help. He was a good son. "... You were trying to do the right thing... I get it... Sweetheart... It’s okay... " "It’s not okay... Look what happened! He went to the Keys and now he's gone...!!" "Baby, listen to me... It isn’t you fault... He came back to Miami, and I let him go... This is in no way your fault... Danny had plenty of chances to stay; he didn't. That's on him, darlin'... And I’m not sure what you're looking for from me. But I forgive you, just, please... Stop saying it was your fault... I can’t take that...” He wound his arms around you "... You think it's your fault too... Don't you? " "For not making him stay? Absolutely..." "Well it isn't... So, you need to do the same thing..." "It's hard to do..." "I know that..."

Suddenly Nolan almost jumped and let you go, eyes wide. His reaction only made you look slowly down to your stomach. “OH. I forgot; you’ve been gone so long you haven’t even…” “Oh…! Oh my God……!!” He went from looking scared to excited in the minute it took for him to get that sentence out “…Was that a kick!?” You laughed, sarcastically “Yeah. Welcome to my life! I hate it!” You held out your hand for his; “C’mere… ‘meet’ your sibling would ya…” You pressed his hand gently to your stomach, and relapsed into soft Spanish, trying to encourage another gentle kick. It was one of the two things that you were trying to get ‘Devan’ to become receptive to. Your language and Danny’s voice. The latter was extremely hard to find without putting a tape on – but you’d found a bunch of videos with his stuff… And Javi happened to have many a party at Viva Caputa on tape. “Ah-!” This time Nolan laughed; “Oh my god! How do you even live with that…!” “Uh. Ask your mother the same question! I just have to. Sometimes it’s actually OK. Sometimes it’s painful. You know, it’s more worrying when it doesn’t happen…” “I dunno… I don’t think I’d want that all the time…” But he smiled as it happened again; “I can’t believe you don’t want to know what it is!?” “…And ruin the surprise!?” You grinned, tugging Nolan to you to hug him again; “Nawww-! I just need to worry about you right now. Okay? One gendered Danny kid at a time. I can worry about this one later. For 18 years! And you’re not even done with all 18 of yours. Aw, Geez…!” “You do NOT need to worry about me.” “What-!? With your family! Nolan please…! Pull the other one!”

*** Previously, Little Havana…

It was strange being on this dancefloor again. You hadn’t been here since the first time. The first dance that Danny and you had ever shared; when this was meant to be a one-night thing… Now it was simply one dance of many… and one night of many, too. True to his word, though, Danny had taken you back to the same bar for his ‘New Apartment Celebration’ – although it was hardly a house warming party; considering you were the only one invited. It was nice to dance with him again like this; this time pushed up against his chest with your own; so, you could really bask in the intense look in his eyes. The torture that was the almost kiss that never happened. Your hands in his strong grip. The way his hands could wander wherever they wanted to the rhythm of this music, because there wasn’t a person in this club that he knew. Danny could do whatever he wanted to you here and you were going to allow it. You still had this teasing strength about you though; you were still certainly leading him as you danced, separate pieces of the same whole. You made it clear to everyone that he was only allowed to hold you like this because you were letting him. You took a break to people watch. But were more than amused when Danny would nudge your arm and say something like can we do what they’re doing?! Pointing out another couple on the dancefloor. Babe, we can do WHATEVER you like. He chewed his thumb thoughtfully with a smirk; and you knew exactly what he was thinking but not vocalising. The break also allowed people you knew who were also dancing here, but you hadn’t seen in such a long time, to come over and ask what the HELL had taken you so long to come back! Which meant you could finally introduce this world to Daniel Rayburn too. And, oh!, did they love him. More than once was he dragged away from you by other girls. Which just had you laughing because then their partners would drag you out on the floor. And it was hilarious watching Danny flex his dancing muscles with someone else. And how every so often he would flash you a HELP! Look. Nothing compared to being with him though. And you always knew that, as you drifted back together. This time the crowd parting. Like it had the second time you had done this on the beach at Rayburn House. How you wound you arms around his shoulders, and he placed his hands on your hips. And this crowd got it; at least better than anyone on that sand had. What you were, how you felt, what your bodies were expressing… The story you were telling. Your story had begun here. It was fitting to start a new chapter here too. This wasn’t just about his new apartment. This was also about him moving in with you… That meant a lot of things – a lot of changes. But a whole lot of love too… *** R.H. Consulting Services Head Office, Monday, 9:30am You stepped into Rich’s office with your paperwork in hand. You knew what you were going to do from the second you had started in that restaurant. You owed it to Danny and his legacy to run it yourself. And it would be a full-time job, even with Jason and Javi there every step of the way; “Rich...” this was still hard for you to do. “Y/N... Hey! You alright? The baby and everything...?” You nodded “Yeah, I just... wanted to hand you this...” He was curious as you held out the documents “It’s my resignation.” “What-!?” You stopped him “You don’t have to pay me or... you know, I just... there’s things I need to do. And if I can’t give you my 100% then I don’t think I deserve to be here... and you deserve me to give you 100%.” “Y/N...” Rich took the folder from you “... After all you’ve been through you can’t expect me to accept this and your terms...??” He placed it back on the desk in front of him and looked up at you “You will absolutely still be paid your maternity... at least don’t fight me on that one. But what is the new adventure?” “That restaurant needs me. I owe Danny. I’ve always owed Danny a lot… but... This is about the one thing I can actually do for him now.” “Ah.” He nodded “I see... but, I still can’t accept this.” “What-!? Why??!” He smiled “I’m sure that you’ll have some free time too, so... I would quite like to keep you on freelance... I certainly don’t want you getting any ideas in your head that we don’t want you, for once thing.” You stared at him for a moment, unblinking; “R-really?!” “Of course. Even if you’re working at 20%. I know this company needs you. You can be the consultancy’s consultant!” He laughed “I will consider this... but... I just don’t want you thinking you have to leave... you don’t. And we would be honoured if you stayed.” You were very nearly beaming at that “All going well… I will be very happy to stay... if I can, but, I’m making no promises...!” He nodded to his office door “Go on... you go reopen that restaurant... this place will still be here to welcome you back. You go make Danny’s legacy...” he smiled “That man deserves it.” You gave a nod, bowing gently as you turned to exit his office with a smile “That he does!”

*** Viva Caputa Reopening Party, Saturday, 8pm The party was small, close knit friends of Danny’s and your family. That didn’t make it any less of a success, the intimate setting probably even helped make it the jubilant affair that it was. And up until this point you’d managed to avoid the one thing that everyone in this room wanted from you. But when they all started chanting at you, you could hold it off no longer. You sat yourself on the bar and took your glass of sparkling water back; "Look, you guys have been on at me to make a speech all evening. And the truth is I could make a lot of anecdotal comments about Danny, about my time in this very restaurant with all of you good people, about his love - how much I love him and how much he loved me. And how much he loved YOU." Your look to Nolan was nothing less than significant, but you smiled "Truth is, I don't think I need to tell any of you anything you didn't already know. And... I don't think Danny would NEED me to or want me too. We gotta have our secrets." you winked to the laughs "Besides I still got a few weeks left of this..." They laughed again, and someone from the crowd yelled; "That better not be champagne!" "Sparking water! C’mon! Talk about the worst timing..." You gave a shrug "So really. I just wanted to thank everyone for coming along, it means the world to me and to Nolan too... And thank you those of you that are coming back here! Even if I somewhat strong armed some of you!" "Ah! We love ya!" Jason beamed making you smile back; "So. All I want to tell you all is... I love you. And here's to the next adventure. And most importantly - please, please, please, I what you to enjoy yourself. It’s what he would have wanted! And if you want to be the first set of people to write things for my dedication board, you'll find some card scattered around here!" You smiled, and raised your glass "To Danny!" "DANNY!!" The cheer went up with glasses of all kinds of mixers. You wanted them to drink whatever they wanted. This wasn't a funeral; you were adamant of making this a celebration. You wanted it to be the kind of thing you would find Danny himself at. You took a sip and turned back to the picture you had spent ages deliberating over that you had framed. "Danny's Dedications" in silver lettering above. You wanted people to tell him how much they loved him. To put photographs up there. To destroy that wall with anything and everything Danny they could find. You turned back to everyone with an even bigger smile; "I can declare Viva Caputa officially reopened!!" ** You locked up the front door with a smile on your face. That party had been a success, at least, everything seemed in order. All you had to do now was reopen to the public. “Oi! Amorcita...!” You turned to see both Javi and Jason sitting on the hood of a car opposite. “What are you two still doing here?!” Javi jumped up “No, no. We talk. You listen.” He opened the car door for you “Step in.” “You think I trust you enough?!” Jason laughed “I don’t really think you got much choice, us being the only ones around.” “Kidnap?!” You looked down at yourself “Only if we must!!! The baby will be safe-! Don’t worry!” Jason grinned as he rounded the car to the driver’s seat. Javi ushered you across the road “C’mon, Y/N... We want to take you somewhere we used to go with Danny... we figured today more than any other was a good one...” “You guys know I can’t drink, right?” “Ginger Ale, don’t worry I covered that.” Jason yelled through the open window “I wouldn’t leave you out. Now are you coming or what-!? The sun is setting Y/N!” You looked up at the orange and purple Miami sky. It sure was beautiful. “Time is ticking...” Javi leant against the open door “We’ll bring you back for your car. We would never leave Ms. Danny Rayburn stranded.” “Ms. Danny Rayburn...” you repeated with a gentle smile “okay... you guys got me convinced!” They drove you out of Miami, to a good clear spot on the horizon. Elevated enough to get a beautiful view of the city when you looked one way, but the sun setting out over the sea when you looked the other… Javi handed you a ginger ale with a smile, and both of them cracked open beers. “So. Danny and the both of us used to come out here to be idiots and let off steam. Like, you know, when he was still young and single and didn’t have MUCH better people to do with his time.” Jason’s little glace to your stomach was there in place of his smirk. Making you laugh. “Such a way with words…” You glanced at the horizon; it was beautiful. The colours that washed the sky. “…But thank you… If Danny liked it out here… He never took me.” “Maybe it was like… Something he associated with being single? Or with us. And not with you… I’m sure there’s a lot of places he took you he didn’t take us. What about the Keys? He never showed us anything down there…” Javier took a sip and walked over to you, folding his arms he also smiled. Your eyes flicked to both of them, standing there silently for a minute and smiling like that. You knew they were thinking of every single memory they shared with Danny up here. That was between the three of them. And that was fine with you. But this moment, watching that sun set on the first day of the rest of that restaurant’s life, just the three of you standing together… The way that they both brushed against you, gentle physical contact… You smiled, then bit your lip to stop yourself from crying. And placed a hand to your stomach when your baby stirred. You took a breath to stay strong and lifted your head again. “Danny would have loved this… Being here.” “He’s here.” Javier took a sip to counteract the fact he looked like he too, was about to be overcome with emotion. “…He’s definitely here.” They both suddenly, almost instinctively, placed they arms around you, and you were hugging them back. It was the safest you had felt since Danny had gone. Was it because of him? You had no doubt he was here. Probably scoffing and telling all three of you to get a grip. But… Here you were. Jason spoke up, a laugh in his voice as the sky turned purple – the last rays of light just visible on that horizon line. “…Yeah…. Y/N. You gotta bring your baby here and introduce it to everything Danny loved. YOU are his legacy. Not the restaurant. You.” *** Downtown Miami, early afternoon, Wednesday You had just arrived and parked up to meet Nolan for lunch. You guessed it was true what they said about it sneaking up on you... You were fine one minute, greeting Nolan with as good a hug as you could manage before suggesting a place to grab lunch. Without his father around Nolan had taken on the responsibility of looking after you during the later stages of your pregnancy, and quite well, you should like to add. But suddenly it wasn’t okay. And you gasped, sharp, and with a lack of air you reached out and grabbed Nolan’s arm. He stopped immediately “Y/N?” You winced and gripped his arm even tighter. “The baby?” It was all you could do to nod. This wasn’t the best time or place, but at least you were with someone. Panic instantly crossed his face and you felt the tension that ran through his body under your fingertips. It ceased almost as fast as it came and Nolan cleared his head and put on a brave face. “I need to get you to a hospital!” You nodded “Can you drive?” You had to fight through your own pain just to say that much. He nodded again; you handed him your car keys “Then you gotta...” his eyes flicked to your car, there was nothing else for it. Getting you back to it as quickly as possible he dialled ahead; the nearest hospital was Mercy. Your mother had worked there in the past, they knew you, he was a smart kid. There was hardly a waver in his voice as he proceeded to start the ignition and tell them that Y/N Ervin was about to have a baby and he was driving her there RIGHT now!! Nolan was just a kid but he drove that sports car expertly. He ran a few red lights but was nothing short of fast but careful. You’d tell him you were proud of that, if you weren’t focusing so hard on what was happening to you. It hurt, of course it did, but the contractions brought with them another pain. Danny wasn’t there. Danny would never be there, and Danny would never see his baby... you had to bite back your crying at least until Nolan had you to the right place. Pulling up outside the hospital he slammed on the cars warning light and sprinted around to your side; “Do you think you can walk?” You shook your head “Okay. I’ll carry you...” “Nolan...! I...!” “Don’t be stupid! I want to help! I’m about to get a little brother or sister! Hello!” He swept you up into his arms and hurried you through the sliding hospital doors. As expected from your name, people were awaiting you, allowing him to place you safely into their care. He was about to run off to park the car, but you grabbed his hand. Danny couldn’t be there, so you damn well wanted the next best thing... They quickly had you changed and induced and Nolan sat with you, taking your hand in his. You would spare him if you thought you could do this alone. There was no time for anyone else. Labour was intense but mercifully short, compared to what you had been preparing yourself for after reading up on as much as you could. Nolan, like a true champion and to his credit - held firm, let you squeeze his hand so tight you left marks on his skin, let you hold him and cry... until it wasn’t just your crying that filled the hospital room. And then you were crying with relief. You put your hands over your face to try and wipe away the tears, and it was Nolan’s turn to stand and put his arms around you. Even the doctors smiled watching the two of you as you put your arms around him in thanks. He didn’t need to do this - he was your hero. “Congratulations, Ms.Ervin... You have a son.” That made you almost cry again, but you laughed instead, in joy. “I have a brother?!” Nolan’s face reflected yours as they handed the bundle of blankets to you. He was small, and you held him in your arms delicately. You almost wept again; his eyes were that unmistakable gorgeous blue that you would continuously fall for... He had been blessed with Danny’s eyes. You had selfishly wanted that most. “... Did you... have a name in mind??” You smiled. There had only ever been one choice since Danny had run after your parent’s car. “Devan. His name is Devan...” you thought on it for a moment “I’d like to call him Devan... Daniel... yeah...” you agreed with yourself “After his father. Devan Daniel Rayburn.” Nolan didn’t say a word, but the smile on his face said everything. Then his eyes widened like he’d remembered something. “Oh-! I… Should I go and… I should call people – right?” Your laugh was weak; that had completely skipped your mind, but Nolan at least needed a break after all that “Sure, sweetheart. Thank you…” He leant over again and kissed your forehead, beaming; “I’ll be right back…” As the door to the room closed the doctor went back to his paperwork; “His father is...?” “Daniel, Danny, Robert Rayburn...” You still hated that. Even now. “And... can I ask his role in this?” You understood why he’d ask the question. Danny wasn’t here. Like you needed any more reminding of that fact. “He won’t have one...” you bit your lip “He’s... Deceased. As of 6 months ago...” The doctor immediately looked like he wished he hadn’t asked, in a ground swallowing him up way “God- I’m sorry...” “No... I understand why you might need to ask...” “And the kid?” “Nolan? Danny’s son from a previous relationship. No relation to me. Danny moved in with me and Nolan has a room but, I haven’t adopted him or anything... he’s still got his mom and I have a good relationship with her... so... it’ll just be Devan and I...” “But you’ll have a good support network?” “My parents. And friends... Nolan and Eve. It will be hard without Danny. It’s… hard without Danny, but it’s not impossible. I have some really good people around. Work has been extremely supportive, you don’t have to worry about me!” There was a smile on his face as he filed the sheets; “Well, Y/N… I can certainly see that.” For a few minutes you were left alone with your baby. And it was respite you desperately needed as much as you didn’t want. You could hear Nolan’s voice speaking to the doctor outside, and every so often you could hear people yelling and running down the corridor. Smiling every time you realised one of your friends had turned up. Almost crying when you heard your parents. But they all left you, for a little while – asking the doctor all the urgent questions they had – at least by the sounds of it. You held him close to you, and tried to imagine everything Danny would say if he were here. That wasn’t hard, Danny’s voice had been in your head for long before he’d been taken from you. And everything he’d said to you when you had told him, when he was back in your arms here, over the phone… all of that was replaying now. Devan’s tiny fingers found and grasped at the fine gold chain around your neck, holding it firm. That made you smile, he wouldn’t understand yet… But one day you were going to tell him every little thing about his father that you possibly could. “…Hey… Little one… Be careful with that…” You gathered the ‘D’ between your fingers; “This was from your daddy… And it is the most important thing I own…” you smiled sadly “I can’t wait to tell you all about him Devan… I know he would have loved you so much…” You thought about Nolan then, and tried very hard not to cry, whatever Danny thought of himself you were thankful at least that he had had the opportunity to be a father. * When you weren’t at the restaurant you spent a lot of time lazing at home. You spent the first couple of weeks at home with your parents, and then you moved back into your own apartment - where Nolan was almost a permanent resident. And proving himself to be the big brother you knew he always would be. Until you assured him that he didn’t have to stay, and you could have Devan all to yourself. And you certainly couldn’t resist him and those blue eyes. Every time he looked at you all you saw was Danny. And you loved it. Javi and Jason, Amanda, Evelyn all stopped by from time to time, and you loved every single one of them for it. In fact Javi and Jason were now always referring to Devan as their son; “Can’t we call him by his middle name?!” “NO!” “Daniel! See-! He’s smiling he likes it!” “Javier I swear to god-!”

When no one was around you once again immersed yourself in music. But it wasn’t just Danny’s playlist that filled the house. But also his voice. After you’d heard the content, you’d found somewhere to copy them from tape to audio file. And everyone had scraped together any footage of Danny they possibly could, it didn’t matter how short, or when it was. Even John had sent some when requested... You knew that tape off by heart now. You could join in with every word, every breath he took, every sob and laugh... it was a part of you now.

But your real reason for doing this was your son. You wanted him to know his father. Everything he could, and that started with Danny’s voice. Even if Devan simply knew what Danny sounded like that would be enough. And you treasured every message you got that read something along the lines of “I found another Danny clip!” Even down to the one Amanda accidentally took where all you can really hear is Danny laughing before she realises her camera is still on and filming and says “Oh Shit!” The whole thing is blurred and looking at the floor. But it’s such a genuine, lovely, pure laugh that you cherished it anyway. ***

Three Months Later, Viva Caputa You looked up as she walked in, marveling in a place she’d never been. “JANEY!!” You almost screamed it, running around the bar to grab her into a hug. “Y/N!!” “You made it!” You laughed “You made it up to Miami!!” “Are you kidding!? You and Nolan talk about this place ALL the time.” “Aw, let me get him for you. This one is on the house...! You here alone?” You walked back up the back of the restaurant “Nolannn..! Break time! Someone is here to see you!” “Alright - give me a minute!!” He called back, you knew that meant Jason was probably trying to teach him something complicated. Javi sighed, “Aw, great, I get all his work don’t I?” You patted his arm “Yeah that’s it, my friend..!” Janey turned, and then gasped at your dedications board. You watched her reactions as she crossed to it and began reading... She delicately moved a few of the photographs around until she found your final ultrasound scan. She turned to you; “Do I get to meet him?” You wondered how much Nolan had told her, you nodded; “If you stick around... my parents will bring him up...” you nodded to the board “Would you like to write one?” “Really?!” “Yeah, everyone gets to write one if they’ve got something to say. I change it around every so often... it’ll be nice for something new!” you leant over the bar for your pack of notecards and a pen “So if you have any pictures, darlin’... you may submit them too!” you handed them over “Anyways, you didn’t answer, you here alone?” “Oh. Uh... no... my, uh, my dad drove me...” You raised an eyebrow, John was here? That was interesting. “Janey!” Nolan appeared, allowing you to take your leave; “You two sit, give me a minute...” you were curious as to why John had let her walk in alone, and why John was staying outside. Come to think of it - when it came to John, you had a lot of things to be curious about. You walked out the front door and stopped. He was standing about 5 paces away from it, and as you walked out you’d startled him, long enough to hold your gaze for 2 seconds before he looked back to the floor. You folded your arms “You’re not coming in?” “Was that a statement or a question...” the guilt in his voice was obvious. “Did you just come to bring Janey, or did you come for something else?” your words weighed heavy and his shoulders slumped as he sighed “...Both... I think...” You tilted your head “Do you understand what you meant to him? What you mean to me? What you mean to Nolan?” “Yeah. I get it.” They sounded like questions he’d asked himself for a long time. “Do you?” You took a deep breath “Did you do it? John? Was it you? Whatever you told Nolan was good - and I appreciate it because the kid believes it and doesn’t have to live with whatever the truth is... but I have a letter and three tapes that would say otherwise.” You took a step back “Did you do it?” “If you don’t want him to live with it, why would you want to?” “Because I need to know. Nolan doesn’t but I do. Nolan is 16, he knew Danny. My son doesn’t, he never will… When he grows up, he will ask me. And what am I supposed to tell him if I don’t know myself?!” You refolded your arms “Because, John! I have to tell my son one day that his dad was murdered whilst 48 hours before he was here in Miami, safe. And I let him go…!!!” You had the guilt weighing on you as much as Nolan did “I did that… I held him here… And I let him go… Please, just prove to me that there is someone in your family who knows how to tell the truth!” The pause was long, he weighted his options carefully. Then he just nodded. But you felt relief. Because you were sure you already knew. And you already knew your decision. “...I know what you want me to say but I won’t. Because he wouldn’t want me to. Danny would want me to forgive you because that’s the kind of man he was... and I do. Because when my son has questions about the Rayburn’s, there is only one I could ever trust him to go to.” “Don’t. Don’t tell me you forgive me.” “But I do.” You shook your head “My faith asks it of me also. I’m done being mad about it, John. I’m not over it... but I’m done being anything but grateful for what I got to have because of him. Devan and Nolan are my priorities now, but make no mistake I HAD to know that.” You stepped forward; “... You know I’m never going to see you in the same way again. But I can’t hate you. And to have that over me for the rest of my life? No thanks. From what I hear your family is getting what it deserves. You spent your life doing things for them… I kinda want you to enjoy your freedom...” you shrugged. “... Lowrey sent you Danny’s tapes?” John was backtracking your conversation now “... I... have no idea who sent them... I got a box addressed to me with a note telling me Danny wanted me to have them. One is for me and me only.” And you would cherish that as the last time he would ever tell you he loved you “... one is the tape he sent to Lowrey about you and your family, yeah. And the other is just... And entire explanation of what he was doing in the Keys that is frankly horrifying and I’d like to forget. A good confession tape if ever there was one...” “Then how do you-” “His letter warned me about you. His tapes framed it all perfectly. It wasn’t even putting two and two together. I just knew.” You took the step down to his level, arms refolded. “Besides... John, now you’re here I can ask you to do something pretty important.” “What, for you?” Your eyes narrowed slightly like he was asking a stupid question: “For my son. For Danny’s son.” “...Oh.” He was quiet for a second “Devan.” That made you smile; invested enough, it seemed “Yes.” He appeared to smile at that “I can’t promise I’ll be any good.” You thought he was catching on well. “It’s what Danny would have wanted.” “I’m not sure if what Danny wanted should really be what I’m doing.” You smiled; “Well. I want it too. John. You’re the only person in your family who ever treated Danny like he was a part of that family. He was your brother. And he loved you. I mean it; about forgiving you... so please. Just do this one thing for him. And be a part of his life... there should be a Rayburn in Devan‘s life. And I’ll be damned if it’ll be anyone else.” Then his smile was genuine, even though he looked to the floor “Okay. I’ll be his godfather. And I will try to be... what he needs from my family. But Janey, Nolan, those kids will be better than-” He froze suddenly as you threw your arms around him; “Thank you-!” And suddenly he couldn’t help it; and tears welled up and spilled down his face; he wound his arms around your shoulders; “Y/N.... Y/N I’m so... I’m so sorry... I’m so, so, so sorry...” You shook your head “It’s over... John... I’m sorry you ever felt the need to do it... I’m sorry you ever got into that state... I’m sorry for Danny too... he deserved a life...” “I know... with you...” “With or without me... that boy deserved the best...” you were crying into his shirt too, John could feel it against his shoulder “... If I gave him half of that... I don’t think I could have given better...” “You couldn’t. Y/N. He loved you.” “I know John. I love him too.” You stood like that for a few minutes. In the Viva Caputa parking lot like it wasn’t the middle of the day and there weren’t people in the restaurant who would see this. “John. We need to agree on something right now.” When you were sure your tears were dry again and you might actually be able to face him again, you spoke up. “What?” You stepped back, your hands on his arms “... We are never ever talking about this again. Ever. I forgive you. The end. I don’t want to ever have to utter another word.” “You’re sure?” You gave a firm nod “Those boys will never know. You understand. No one else is ever going to know.” “Okay...” John bowed his head, feeling unworthy of such a request; “Then I agree.” Your parents arrived not 10 minutes after you’d settled John in with his daughter and nephew and instantly Jason and Javi stopped working; “Hey you two! You have a restaurant to run!” “Yeah no, Y/N! Not now our son has arrived.” “Why don’t you get your own kids...!” “I think you’ll find you told me that I shouldn’t have kids!” Javi yelled after you as you opened the door for them; “Oh! I stand by that!” Jason hadn’t laughed so hard in a long time. “Mama!” She offered you a hug and a kiss on the cheek as she handed Devan over. “Has he been good?” “That boy is an Angel.” “Yeah. About as angelic as his father I bet.” You nuzzled him gentled as he giggled, grabbing fistfuls of your shirt and hair. Your father kissed the top of your head and then Devan’s “Don’t worry, she says it because we get to give him back.” Your mother scowled at him “I’d never give him back if I had the choice.” You combed your fingers gently through Devan’s dark hair. He was gonna get that side of Danny’s family as much as he was going to get it from the Hispanic side of yours. You were heading for Nolan 2.0 you knew. And you were A-OK with that. “Oh-! My darling boy!” “John and Janey are here?!” Your father offered a wave to their table with a smile “Mmm hmm!” “Ah-! Excellente!!” You sat next to Janey as your parents immediately set upon Favourite Son Numero Dos - John Rayburn. “Janey. Meet Devan!” “Oh-! Aww-!” She immediately motioned to take him off you, and you were fine with that. She held him up for a minute until he giggled again and then hugged him close. “Oh-! Oh-! Y/N he’s gorgeous...!! So adorable!” Nolan leant on his hand “Yeah. When he’s not crying... or whining... and you’re also only saying that because you’ve just met him.” You gave Nolan a look “What are you trying to say?!” “Uh. He’s a baby. That’s what babies do.” Janey looked to him disbelievingly; “Does he cry a lot?” She turned back to you, “No. He’s quiet... he’s a good boy...” Nolan made a scoffing sound, but also smiled taking his little brother’s hand in his. “Hey buddy...” You mouthed to Janey “Coolest big bro ever..!” “He wishes!” She winked and mouthed back, causing you to hide your laugh behind your hand. At this point you caught onto your parents conversation; “…Has Y/N invited you for dinner?” This made you look to John, and his awkward swivel to you. You gave nothing away on your face, he hoped you would. His eyes flicked back to your parents “Uh… N- No… It’s okay we can probably-” “John, please. You should come for dinner.” You smiled “You and Janey should stay. You’re family, right?” “…Well…” He studied your sincere look for a moment, if you meant it… “AW! Dad! Can we?!” Janey made you raise an eyebrow at him expectantly; “…Besides then I get to spend some more time with this cutie!” John’s eyes kept on yours and he smiled, “Thank you… Jack, Maria… Y/N… We would… love to stay for dinner.” You left Javi and Jason to it soon after that, and paid close attention to the way John paused at the ‘Danny’s Dedications’ picture by the door; “Did you do this…?” His voice was solemn “I set it up. A lot of it is me… I guess…” You smiled, “…But a lot of it is just… people who loved Danny.” You tipped your head “Why. Don’t you think you deserve to write one?” “…I wish he said more about it.” “What if he did…?” Your eyes followed his to the picture and you smiled; “The Keys may have called him back. But John, this was always home… I think Danny wanted to keep the two apart. I think he tried to put them together too often. It never worked out… I’m just glad everyone here loved him… All Danny ever deserved was love.” “He got you…” John took a card from the stack by the door and a pen and scribbled something “…You meant more to him than the Keys ever did.” He slotted it behind a bunch of others and turned to you “…I’m sorry… I took him from you.” “Yeah. And I’m not going to let you do what he did.” You took John’s hand in yours and pulled him from the restaurant “I will NOT force you to live with that guilt the rest of your life John. Danny’s memory deserves better than that.” * Dinner was as quiet as it was loud, neither John nor you really said anything. You guessed you both had a lot to really think on right now. You caught eyes often and each and every time all he could see on your face was reassurance. You were done being mad at his family – you’d decided months ago that cutting them from your own completely was the only way to close this for yourself. John and Janey were different from the rest of them… And this was clearly a road you and John were about to walk together for the rest of your lives. You trusted him to keep you straight on this one. Whenever John did talk, and most of the talk was about Danny, he was speaking to you – directly, even though the whole table was listening to his stories. Good things, he’s only telling me good things. He wants me to know GOOD things… You weren’t even sure you’d ever heard John talk about his brother; at least not like this to you. Probably because Danny was nearly always around when you talked to John. You wondered to yourself if you’d ever thanked him aloud. He’d been the only person in that family back then who’d accepted you and Danny together. Even now, you wondered if that was still true… Probably. But you hardly cared. Especially when John was making you laugh so hard the tears you were crying were finally good ones… They left without a spectacle. They wouldn’t be staying, but, thank you and certainly don’t be strangers! You all stood on the steps of your parents’ house waving goodbye, and John checked the car as Janey hopped in the passenger seat. But then, you thought, you couldn’t just say goodbye like this; “John!” He turned back and stepped away from the car as you ran to him. Your embrace was tight; and he mirrored it instantly; “Please… don’t stay away… I want you to know your nephew.” “…I will… I promise… I think I owe it to his parents, huh?” You laughed and let him go; “And… I’m sorry about Diana…” “Well. I guess it’s just another thing that happened… huh?” It wasn’t a happy smile, but you understood it – so you couldn’t help but smile the same way back “I guess so…” “Look. When I’m settled back in Islamorada… Come down.” “OH I-” “Not. Not the house… I get it. You don’t want Devan to have anything to do with us. And that, after what you’ve been through? What I’m sure you know, is fair. But there’s so much that… Danny and I used to do as kids that… I’d kinda like you, and his kids, to see…” You laughed gently and folded your arms “Okay… I’d… like that a lot.” This smile was certainly genuine “Alright. I’ll give you a call…” This time John reached out to hold you; “…Take care of yourself Y/N… And that little boy of yours. And the other one. He needs it too. He’s certainly trouble!” “Oh-! His father’s son Nolan is!” You grinned “You take care too. You have two beautiful kids, John. Especially this one…” you nodded to the car “Keep them straight. And… If you ever want to head up State…” You gave a shrug “…You always have a place to come.” “Thank you.” You shook your head “No… Thank you.” *** Previously, Viva Caputa… “Oh my Gooood!!” Jason lyricised from the kitchen as you strolled in. It was early morning, the restaurant was open for breakfast already, but there were only a few occupied tables. “She’s in before work, it must be serious...!” “Jase!” You rounded the bar; he was the only one in the kitchen. “...Wait! What’s going on?!” “Danny is either late or not coming in!” He smiled “Just me...” he waved his hand in the direction of the kitchen “I mean it’s hardly surprising...” You scoffed, Danny was never ‘late’ at least that’s how his saying always went; “Well I had an early meeting in the city, and now I have to head to the conference center...” “Girl, I can make you breakfast better than Danny ever could...!” He turned to his work station “I can be done in 5 minutes. Come back here, help yourself to coffee! I trust ya!” You sat in the back of the kitchen for about a little while with Jason. Like Danny, just watching him set about cooking was a calming experience. You thought you needed that before you went off to that conference… An engine outside made you turn your head, Jason turned with a grin at the way your face completely lit up. “A crap sounding engine like that can only belong to that piece of junk your boyfriend drives!” “It’s NOT junk! It’s a classic! And he’s your boss.” “Oh, here she goes! Getting me in trouble again!” “…Never---!” You put your cup down and exited the kitchen to Danny stepping out of his car “OH! MY! What are you---!? Doing---!!” He laughed and accepted your hug as you borderline threw yourself at him; “—I have a day of just… Horrific work! So, I thought I would come by!” “What the hell were you doing in my kitchen…” He brushed your hair back with his palms and cupped your face “…How long have you been up!? Geez, it’s still early!” “…Too long.” You leant up to catch his lips, and he tasted the coffee. That probably explained it, “Jase said I could come back, so I did.” “Oh-! Yeah Mr. In-Charge in there…” Danny claimed your lips again. “Okay, come on… Breakfast… I get it.” “To go. I gotta go…” “To go!? Screw that, Y/N! I’m making you sit down an eat.” “Whyyyyy…!?” You put on your best whine as he took your hand and walked you back into the kitchen, “Because then I know you’ve eaten.” You almost rolled your eyes with a laugh “Oh God. Not this again…!” “Yes! THIS!” “Danny I can’t stay… Like…” You looked at your watch; “I just can’t… This conference starts in-” “Okay. Okay. I get it.” He turned and grabbed your waist, pulling you into him with another kiss “…Then come back, for lunch. Or I’m gonna worry.” “…Okay… Fine. Lunch.” “…Alright, Baby Girl… But at least let me send you off with something…” Jason called from the kitchen; “I got her covered.” Danny’s exasperated look made you laugh as he turned to yell back “You are NOT supposed to encourage her to eat more sugar!!!” “Oh-! Sorry boss-! That’s not what she told me!” * It was always great to have a lunch date with Danny, today was no exception. And he let you tell him about your exceedingly boring conference experience. But, yes, your presentation had gone well… Thank you! Of course, you weren’t sure if he really cared about the subject itself, but he certainly cared for your wellbeing… You were just leaving the restaurant as Nolan was coming in. Viva Caputa wouldn’t get busy for another couple of hours, and Danny liked to bring Nolan in to teach him things sometimes. Danny had insisted to you that Nolan was a natural. You wouldn’t be surprised at that, both Nolan’s parents were very creative. You hoped that you had a little bit of influence on the more logical, mathematical side of his brain. You’d at least been a good influence on his languages… “Hey Nolan! How’s it goin’?” You were kissing Danny goodbye and walking out the door as he was coming through it. “Good! Good! Y/N! Yeah! How are you?” “Great-! Yeah! Just off to see my friends. Hopefully not going to be doing a whole lot of day drinking… As I’m driving…!” He responded to your Spanish in kind; “Have a great time with your friends!” Nolan had you beaming; “I will! I’m sorry I can’t stay! Have a great shift – you stayin’ for shift?” “Yeah. Probably.” “Alright! See you back at home later!” After you hung out with Amanda and Evelyn you’d head to your parents for dinner, Danny would drive Nolan back to yours and he’d at least stay the night, if not all weekend. You knew you’d be the one sorting the details – you made a mental note to text Eve about it later. The door swung closed behind you and they both watched you walk to your car. Utility, rather than sporty today. The terrace you were meeting your friends at had on street parking. You didn’t fancy parking a whole lot of money in a Miami street bay.

Nolan leant on the counter next to his dad. “…You ever think about it…” Danny raised an eyebrow like he’d missed a wavelength, or beat in the conversation “Think about what…?” “Your future with her…” “…All the time.” He frowned momentarily at his son “ALL the time… What makes you ask…?” Nolan was still watching you leave; “…You ever thought about marrying her?” Danny almost laughed “Woah…Woah… Hang on… Where did that come from!?” Nolan shrugged, “Isn’t that what you’re supposed to think about when planning a future?” “…People don’t always get married… Anyway, she doesn’t want to be a Rayburn, c’mon…” Nolan wasn’t sure if he was meant to take offense to that or not, considering he was one. “…So that’s a no?” “That’s not what I said.” “So it’s a yes?” “I’ve… not really…” He’d certainly joked about not getting down on one knee on multiple occasions. That was more because of the length of time you’d been together. Although he knew it was also true people had popped the question after mere weeks. Danny also wasn’t sure he was the getting married type. He thought he’d much rather have a life partner than be able to screw up something by putting a ring on her finger… He also wasn’t exactly sure how his grown up son would take him marrying a woman barely 10 or so years older than him. But if Nolan was the one bringing it up? “…Is that what you want?” “HUH!?” Nolan looked a little taken aback, leaning away from Danny for a moment. “Do you want me to marry her?” Nolan blinked, slowly but more than once “…I…” he chose his words carefully “…Want you to do it if you want to do it.” “Now that IS a yes.” “N-No…!” Nolan put his hands up “I, just think she’s good for you. It just… Made sense to me that marriage would be a natural progression.” Then he added “Eventually.” “Eh, I don’t think marriage was ever my natural progression…” “So you won’t marry her?” “I haven’t even discussed it with her yet… It’s a huge commitment. That she has to make to me, Nolan. It’s two sided.” “I think she’d marry you.” Nolan leant on his hand “…In fact I’m certain of it.” Danny wasn’t about to let him get ahead of himself; “Well. She’s a little younger than me and… It’ll have to be a discussion.” “Yeah Dad… I’m just saying. I don’t think that matters.” Danny gave a knowing smile; “so you do think I should marry her.” “Yeah.” Nolan laughed “Eventually you should. But you gotta get yourself a decent three-month salary to get a ring first, old man!” He grinned as Danny reached across the bar to punch the top of his arm; “I’ll give you old man!” Danny was certain you would say yes to anything… Was pretty sure your parents might give their blessing… If Nolan’s feelings were positive… But Danny didn’t want to rush this. And he didn’t want to rush you. Still. It was a great thing to keep in the back of his mind. One day, when he was ready – and one day he knew he WOULD be ready. He’d get down on one knee and he’d pour his heart out and hopefully it would be to you… and hopefully you would say yes.

The thing was, even now, with a smile on his face… Danny knew exactly where he would do it.

*** Present Day, Viva Caputa, 7am It was pretty early morning. But neither you nor Devan (or maybe you because of Devan) could sleep. So, as usual, to be as close as possible to the man you loved you were now sitting in Viva Caputa. Project planning. Danny never seemed satisfied with his own restaurant, and you’d seen him drawing up plans and writing things down. Even when they refit the restaurant, he would stand looking at it arms folded and saying “Eh. It could still use some work.” So you’d sifted through his apartment and come across a second set of plans - all Danny’s own work, rather than the contractor who could so helpfully give you all their work on that very refit. It was something in the works. Not for now, but you still enjoyed thinking about it. Devan was content to sit on the counter next to you in his carrycot as long as you paid attention. Time ticked on, and you realized it was close to arrival and opening time. You were the only one currently here, which was fine. You were lost too deep in your work as it was. But suddenly the phone rang. You looked up, and thought about getting up but hesitated. You didn’t need to get it. It was early enough for the caller to know you weren’t open, and if it was important the answer machine would pick it up anyway. You returned to your work as it rang off. But then dropped your pen and couldn’t turn towards the phone quick enough. Devan turned too, towards a voice he would never know, but recognized right away.

“Hey! You’ve reached Viva Caputa! I’m sorry that none of us can take your call at the moment, we’re probably a little tied up. If it’s for reservations leave your name and booking details. We’ll call ya back to confirm. If you’re an employee, call me!” The message cut and then the machine beeped... there was static, as whoever had called struggled to respond. “...Holy shit...” You almost laughed at how quiet Jason’s voice was “Danny is still the voicemail...!” You leant on your hand for a minute, overcome with a sense of joy at something you’d never realized. It was settled though, that was one thing that was never changing. *** Downtown Miami, Thursday PM Javier arrived about 5 minutes late looking bashful. You didn’t really care, today you’d been around town checking in on a couple of clients and working on some ad hoc projects for your dad. You knew when you weren’t at the restaurant Javier and Jason took the responsibility to manage it between themselves. They had work of their own so it wouldn’t surprise you if he got dragged into something late. You wanted to discuss schedules, these days neither man really had ‘shifts’ unless they asked you, you might be managing the restaurant, but what you really wanted was to give Javi more responsibility. Today you’d be discussing with him hiring potential employees; at this point, with Jason running the kitchen, Javier was your second in command. His lateness didn’t bother you, but it certainly bothered him.

“I’m so sorry-!” You shook your head, “Busy is good. You know...” “Yeah. But still, meeting you for lunch is important.” He grinned and turned his attention immediately to Devan “But-! More importantly—!! How is my boy!!?” Javier’s fuss just made Devan giggle in delight and reach out to grab Javi’s hands; “Yes! It’s okay! One of your daddies is here!” “God forbid YOU ever have kids.” “Aw, come on! We’d do good, you and I! I mean look at our son now!!” His eyes flicked back to Devan “Javi. Can you say Javi?!” You couldn’t help laughing as you leant on your hand “You’ll be lucky!” “What’s it gonna be then... mommy?” “If my parents have anything to say about it it’ll be Spanish. Rightly so. If I have my way it’ll be Danny.” Javier turned to you, suddenly solemn; “How much are you gonna tell him?” “All of it,” and you were serious “every minutia of detail I can remember or people have told me... He deserves to know, I’m not keeping it from him.” “But he died-” I know how he died...” you took a deep breath, it was still difficult. And you would certainly never say it was getting easier. It was just different to talk about now “... But if I lie, the truth will come out eventually....” you took Devan’s hand in yours making him turned back to you. With that smile and those eyes. “Then who does that make me...” Javi sat down his expression indicating how correct he thought you were, and picked up a menu. But he was more intent on studying your face with a smile “Are they Danny’s shades?” You cracked a grin “Rayburn Raybans..! They sure are!” “They look good on you...” You couldn’t help but smirk “I look good in a lot of his clothes...” Javi scoffed folding his arms and leaning back; “Yeah okay. Don’t rub in all the great sex you had with Danny Rayburn, which meant you got to wear his shirts, and probably still do because you have a fair few of them.” “Great sex, huh?” You tried unsuccessfully to keep a straight face “You made a baby. I’d say that was pretty great.” “Actually, the sex was god awful so I had to get pregnant to save me for 9 months!” Javier laughed hard at the sarcastic look on your face as you leant on your hand; “Oh god yeah... with the way he used to talk about it I’m sure it was just the worst..!” *** Date & Time Unknown… The breeze was gentle as you walked across the sand. It caught your long white dress, the many layers pulled into a dance of their own by the wind. He was waiting for you, like he always was, down by the water. He seemed to be the only thing the draft didn't stir. His dark button up shirt fitted to him, but open (when wouldn't it be?) over his grey vest top. The breeze was playful through your hair; and yet still, as if he was a photograph, he was motionless. He didn't belong here... Not that you had ever really thought he did. The sand was hot but it didn't burn you as you moved across it barefoot, your back to Rayburn house. For some reason, for the first time, you felt like it wasn't casting a dark shadow over him. Figuratively or not... True, this man had never sunk down onto one knee, he'd never offered you a perfect diamond in a black velvet box, but you were intent on doing this anyway. By the time you reached him the waves were lapping at his feet. He was staring out over the clear blue water - seeing nothing... seeing EVERYTHING - he was always so in his head... You would never be able to fathom him, never truly. You'd made your peace with that. It took him a few minutes to acknowledge that you were there, almost like everything was moving in slow motion... He turned his back to the sea and laid his crystal blue eyes on you with a smile. Whatever he said was lost in what you wanted him to say. He extended his hand to you and you took it. You had ached for this physical contact for too many months. It was almost ecstasy to have him touch you now. He pulled you back as he walked into the sea, his steps were careful, and his eyes never left yours; of course he wouldn't look at the house. It made sense to end one chapter and begin another right here. But it never made sense to you why it was the setting. He took your other hand as soon as he could reach for it. The sea was cool; but welcoming, and by the time he was done moving you through it, the water came to your waist. You could taste the salt, and yet the wind still didn't move him. You could feel the warmth of his skin and how strong he was by how he held you; you could hear his laugh, clear and bright and infectious enough for you to do the same... The way the smile on his face extended to his eyes at what you were about to do. He was about to really make you his... Everything was quiet; there was no one else. Islamorada was, and would remain, deserted. The sunshine warming your shoulders, your back, turning your hair and eyes a shade lighter and making the dazzling blue of his own even more breathtaking. He gathered your hands to his chest; and you could feel his heartbeat. Even now he was your safe place. Everything you could ever hope to have. The only thing you'd ever need. You moved as close as your dared; aware of every motion of his body, that you made... that the waves made. HYPER aware of every point of contact between the two of you. The lighter layers of fabric of your white dress had spread themselves across the top of the water; it was perfect and beautiful. Everything you could ever have asked for. You continued to stare at each other. Close enough to kiss; playful enough to deny each other that. He studied you like he always did... Like he was memorising every little detail before you disappeared into thin air... You could feel his breath on your skin; you moved your hands; keeping one entwined with his, your other ran to his shoulders, because you had to have him in your arms. You had to have him back where he belonged. He'd been away for far too long. Why wasn't this happening in Miami? Should you have been surrounded by your friends? As long as he was here, did you even care!? Mercifully he closed the gap; but you didn't dare close your eyes. He squeezed your hand tighter and pulled your waist into his through the water. You needed to breathe but you didn't want to waste this... You let his hand go to link your arms behind him, and he pulled you so close you could feel everything. Your skin burned like fire at every point of contact and you were happy to drown in that flame. You realised you wouldn't get a ring. No gold band to show off. No band at all, but you didn't need it. You would still take his name. You would take everything about him. You always had. That's what love was. By the time he was ready to let your lips go, the ocean was chest high. He laughed again; and shook his head like he couldn't fathom you. As if that was true; he had you figured from night one and you knew it. Your relationship was entirely his orchestration and you realised you would never be able to thank him enough for insisting you called his number. Or thank yourself for having the courage to break your one golden rule. His smile was of pure adoration. Like there was nothing else in his life - and you knew you were looking at him in exactly the same way even though it was a lie for both of you. You took a breath; looking at him looking at you like this you had to say something. Something that before now you had never said. "Daniel Rayburn. You are the love of my life... And I hope to God you never EVER forget that..." His eyes left yours shyly and you felt his heart jump before he found you again. His smile was confident this time. The breeze stirred into life once more... And your mind STILL wouldn't make him real. *** Devan gripped your white dress a little tighter, making you look from the clear gently swirling water of the pier on Miami’s marina .... You held him a little closer to you, running a hand through his dark hair. You figured you'd never quite be done with the Keys. How it appeared to you in dreams now… How even now it wouldn’t leave you alone. How Danny wouldn’t either; but you hardly cared about that. You nuzzled his face gently, voice calm and gentle. The breeze was welcome in the summer heat, and you were sure that you and your son should retreat to shade in the next few minutes for your own good. Still. You wanted to see this view; you wanted him to see this view one more time. But; something about it was different this time. Like the breeze was holding you... And for that moment Danny was real, and you could feel him. Like he was closer to you than he ever had been in life. You shaded your eyes and looked to the sky. Clear blue, hardly a cloud in sight. The sun was brilliant, but the light was somehow soft - not nearly as harsh as you had remembered it... "Danny..." You whispered it... realizing before you close stop it, the single tear sliding down your left cheek... But you weren’t sad, you were smiling. Devan recognized the name of his late father, whether he realized it or not - and he looked to you with those same gorgeous, haunting blue eyes. You repeated the same sentence, adamant that this time, somehow, and somewhere he could hear it. "... Never, ever forget that..."

***

Viva Caputa, Saturday Evening “This restaurant has been shut more often than it’s been open since reopening!!” Jason joked as he finally sat down. “Excuse me! I think you’ll find the party to open, and tonight, are the only two nights! We’ve been open months!!” “Do you realise how scary that is though?!” He placed his hand on yours “I get scared every time I see Devan. That boy is growin’...” “I know...” “That’s how I’m measuring this restaurant’s opening time.” He nodded “That little man.” Javier leant forward from his seat further down the table; “Isn’t it more shocking to you we’ve survived with Y/N as a manager?!?” His grin was goading, you folded your arms with a shake of your head but chose to stay patient with him. “Oh? Uh huh?” You argued with these two in the same way you’d seen Danny do it. The playful kitchen banter you loved so much before was now yours to control. And you mimicked Danny and his sayings as often as possible. They loved it secretly. But often Jason would groan “Ugh! She’s won this with another Danny phrase” “Hello. Danny Rayburn. Didn’t realise you were still in charge.” You were grateful for that. For every time Jason would scowl at his own work and mimic Danny down to his voice “No! Jason! It’s not chemistry!!!” And how you and Javi would then yell “It’s about feel!!!” The first time the three of you hadn’t expected it, and had the whole restaurant giving you funny looks as the dead five-second silence turned into laughing so hard you all cried. Maybe there was sadness mixed in with those tears then, but no more. “Yeah. I’m surprised you’ve not killed us!” You leant back in your chair “Javi, there’s still time. Besides, where the hell would I be without you two?!” “Take it Javi. She’s got a damn good point!” That had the whole table laughing again. Tonight you’d shut the restaurant because it was the first time all of you had been able to get together since you opened. Everything was always busy for you now as it was. But for your family too. And your friends. So, you could be no more thankful to have them all around the table. This was for Danny. You didn’t say it but everyone knew.

Everyone started to peel off the later that it got; Devan was fast asleep by the time you handed him to your mom “I won’t be too long mama...” “Nonsense. Stay. They are your friends... we’ll be fine until you get home.” You gave a nod and embraced her and your father “I love you guys so much... Thank you. For always being there no matter what. And for Danny.” “What about him? You already know how much he meant to us.”“I know. But I don’t think I say it enough... You could have disapproved. Told me to not see him again. Done anything but welcome him into your lives like he was always there...” “Darling. Even if you’d have listened. Even if we had disapproved...” She said it with conviction (as if anyone could ever disapprove of Danny) “... You can’t break up chemistry like that. You’ll never be able to break up chemistry like that... look what it has blessed you with...” she indicated to Devan as your dad embraced you again; “Estrellita. Our one wish is that you’d have met him sooner. If you’d have got onto the professional scene... you would have surpassed us.” You laughed and pushed his arm gently “Is it ironic that I could technically have met him 12 years earlier!? I blame you guys for not dragging me to the Keys!” He had to laugh “You would.” then he kissed your forehead, “We will see you later. Please... whenever you are ready. Do not waste your friends... you never wasted him...” “I tried my best...” You turned to kiss your mom goodbye and then Devan. “Mi Angelito...” He grasped for your fingertips lost in dreams, you giggled and took a step back “When that boy is grown up and looks like Danny I just don’t know what I’m gonna do!” “Protect him from all the ladies? He will be a heartbreaker, if that’s the case.” Your dad winked making you laugh “Oh yeah. He’s a pretty good combination of genes... Danny Rayburn with a Latino flair? Lord have mercy on those girls.” * Jason and Javi left together as usual, making you look between them with a teasing smirk; “If you weren’t married, I’d swear you two had a thing!” “Shush! Y/N! Not with my wife around!” “Oh my god-! Jason! Did you TELL her!!!!???” Javier looked about as shocked as you’d ever seen him and let out a lament “What am I gonna do now-!? It’ll be talk of the town!!!” You looked to Jason who was shaking his head “He would be such a brat, Y/N, I just couldn’t.” “Oi! Take that back!” “Make me!” “Was that a threat or a come on?!” “Oh my god-!” You held your hands up “forget I said anything. Goodbye! I’ll see you tomorrow.” “Bright and early obviously. Slave driver.” “She’s like Danny though, ain’t she? Doesn’t actually need to BE here on shift.” Jason leant in to kiss your cheek “Get your beauty sleep! I’m sure Danny never let you have any...” he raised his eyebrows with a cheeky wink “Haha.” You hugged him “Not too early Jase. You two of anyone deserve a rest.” “Yeah, yeah, you mean that about as much as he did...!” Javi threw his hand in the general direction of the picture on the wall, but embraced you with a kiss “Drink one for us, one for our son, and one for Danny okay?” “Okay... I will.” You had no intention on drinking that much. But you’d appease him none the less “Oh. Whilst you’re at it. Make it tequila shots.” “Jason get out of here whilst I still love you!!” * Nolan was the very last to leave, and Amanda and Evie had left you alone to quietly talk to him whilst they when around picking alcohol for the three of you to have drinks. But eventually he checked his watch with a sigh; “I guess I better head home. Call it a night!” “Home?” You raised an eyebrow with a smile “Yeah, okay maybe if it’s yours it’s more home than mine...” “I didn’t say that...!! I didn’t mean—!” He sighed and covered his face, “—of course your place is home... but... This is dads...” “Nolan! Sweetheart!” You were laughing “It’s okay...” He slid off the bar stool and you accompanied him, although he walked slow, he didn’t really want to leave - but he probably had a point. A lot of them would be back here early tomorrow for work; and that was probably Nolan included. Jason loves teaching Danny’s son, you thought that was because it made him feel closer to Danny, made both of them feel closer to Danny, but Jason could only do it when it was quiet. Which meant early starts. But Nolan had consistently risen to the occasion.

He stopped at the door; “I’ll see you tomorrow!” “Sure thing! I’ve got some work in the morning but... I’ll be in for evening rush. Don’t you worry.” “Can I come stay... this weekend?” You tilted your head, with a small smile “Baby, you don’t need permission to come and stay. It’s your place too. You know, just drive over when you want.” but you nodded, “Of course you can, please do.” “Okay...” he grinned “You know it’s just so I get to hang with my brother, right?” You laughed “Oh my god, you are gonna be so much trouble when he grows up.” “Me or him?!” “Both of you...!” You reached up, and tidied his dark hair, placing your hand on his cheek for a minute; “Nolan... He was so proud of you. I know he was ‘Danny’ about it and didn’t really ever say it, but, he was. And I know he is...” You had to bite your lip for a second or you were going to cry, you gave your head a shake and then all at once enveloped Nolan in a hug “…I’m proud of you, too… You’ve grown up so much! I’m just… so proud of the man you’re becoming!” He wound his arms around you too “…I know…” his voice was quiet “You’re a great mom, Mom.” You froze and pulled back slightly. That was surely accidental. But his face was serious. Nolan gave a smile to your quizzical look; how you looked like you wanted to believe he meant it, whilst at the same time preparing for him to take it back. “You don’t have to say anything… I’ve wanted to call you that for a long time…” You just shook your head again and took his hands in yours, there wasn’t necessarily anything for you to say. And he knew you had so much you wanted to say. So you just smiled; “You’re a good son Nolan. And a great big brother.” That just made him laugh, “I mean… I can only try, right?” He opened the door and you followed him outside, to make sure he drove off safely “Text me when you get home, okay?” You always asked, but now you felt like you had to rise to your new status. “Mmm hmm!” He gave a smile, and embraced you one last time before walking to his car. Nolan stopped, and then turned, waving he called back with a grin; “Love you mom!” And you laughed; “I love you too!” *** Eventually it was just you Amanda and Evie left. Sitting at table 14. And when Amanda realised she took a deep breath out “My god. Can you believe this? We were RIGHT here when it all started.” Evie put her hands to her head like she was having some kind of existential crisis “How is that so long ago? But why has it also FLOWN?!” She turned to you “If there is one thing I will never forget, it’s the way he looked at you. I’m not going to say it was like you were the only thing he ever wanted. But in hindsight...” You could feel the heat in your cheeks but at least knew you could blame the alcohol; “Yeah and I told you I was done with Danny Rayburn.” “For like what; an hour?!” Amanda smirked “Two. Give me some credit here!” You winked “Also. If we’re getting technical. Neither of you were there when it started the night before. but I’m sure you wish you were.” “A foursome??!” Evie raised an eyebrow “With you girls? I dunno. Sign me up!” “Invite Javi.” Your eyes flicked between them and Amanda went pink; “Do you still have a thing for him?!” “Baby, it didn’t work.” “Make it work.” She leant on her hand and smiled at you “There is one fairytale here. And it’s your story, Y/N. All yours.” You knew she was asking you to forget the end with her statement. Which was asking a lot. But she didn’t say it because of how it ended. You knew that, and you smiled. Leaning your head on your hand – you didn’t need to thank her for saying something like that, she knew you’d be thankful. And maybe, it wasn’t all over… You and Danny had something special; you had this, your baby and Nolan… And his friends. No, it wasn’t over. It would never be truly over… “Another drink?!” “Oh.” You put your finished glass down as you spotted the time on the clock; “Naw, girls! We should get to leaving, I have a little boy to return to!” Even though your parents had said take your time, you didn’t want to misuse their charity. Evie huffed; “Okay. Fine! But, party back to your place! We’ll get the cab there!” You rolled your eyes “Fiiiine… But do not wake Devan up or so help me God.” They asked if you wanted help clearing the glasses away but you waved that suggestion away, you wanted some quiet time. A little time alone… In this place of all of them. Your friends understood that even if you didn’t say it; and both hugged you – although you’d all be getting the same cab. They headed outside after you’d told them to go call one. You’d have time before it arrived… You stacked the glasses by the washer; first thing tomorrow you’d get that squared away. You checked the kitchen with a smile and flicked the lights off. Your checks were exactly the same as Danny’s… back to front – every table, so it looked perfect… turning down lights as you went. Until you got to the bar… You paused and your eyes flicked to the picture of him on the wall. You didn’t realise how much you were smiling until your cheeks hurt. You leant over, grabbing a glass and the bottle of whisky you had yet to put away you poured yourself one and took a deep breath. Something hit you, and you had to answer it… You made your way slowly to the picture, still with that same smile. Your heart was going quick; like you were that girl sitting at table 14 again as he leant over you and told you to call him. Like you were the woman on the dance floor reacting to the way he held you like no other man ever had. Like the first time he kissed you. The first time he told you he loved you. The first time you really got to make love to him… Those gorgeous blue eyes were holding yours just the same as his used to; picture or not. And that smile on his face that you loved so much. Danny would always be beautiful. His soul would always be beautiful. He’d given you everything; you only hoped that you’d managed to give him just as much back… He deserved that more than anything… You tipped the glass to the picture; “Danny… This is all for you. And I hope you’re proud of me baby. Because I’m so proud of you. And I’ll wait patiently to see you again, because I’m gonna be here for our kids growing up. But… still I can’t wait. I can’t WAIT to be in your arms once more. Because I love you. Danny. And I’ll never stop loving you. Thank YOU. For loving ME.” ---

Thank you for being a part of this 💙💜 If you’ve made it to here, and you’ve invested yourself in all 10 Parts - congratulations you’ve read 87,276+ words. Because I know sometimes I added words after I put in the word count

@3134045126 @happyskywhale @waytoplantann @krnncsbtch - Thank you my darlings for sticking with me to the end! I’m so greatful! 💙💜 And, as I like to end with GIFs... Please accept some of my favourite Danny’s... ❤

#Danny Rayburn #Danny Rayburn x Reader #Ben Mendelsohn #Bloodline #Finale #Sway #Linzi Writes #I just... I have nothing to say #it's over and here we are...#And I cried about 5 times writing and editing this #and I'm still crying #and holy sh*t did that Chris Young song come out of nowhere #B U T Girl is like the perfect song for our Reader #So sorry Chris - you're a graphic instead!#55!!#Liliana #14530 at full count

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saucylittlesmile · 5 years

Text

Carried over from the original creator and curator, @balletfever89. Links to her original Post-Sochi timeline and her Post-Comeback timeline, as well as the original version of this timeline, Post-PyeongChang. Some of the dates may be slightly off, as I'm looking backwards at blogs instead of keeping up as things happen.

=== Feb 9 - 25 WINTER OLYMPICS PYEONGCHANG, South Korea ===

Feb 26 – Tessa and Scott arrive at London

+Scott has family party in Ilderton (Tessa reported sick)

Feb 27 – Scott at bar with friends

March 1 – Tessa attends St Judes Catholic School and talks with kids (London)

+ Scott spotted in Ilderton

+ Nivea officially announces Tessa as ambassador

March 2 – Tessa with Midori + husband got flowers as a gift from her and Liz (London)

March 3 – Scott spotted at Turtle and Crown bar (AilsaCraig, near Ilderton)

March 4 – Tessa spotted (Bayfield)

March 5 – Tessa posts about packing (London) + Scott spotted at Startbucks getting Tessa’s favorite coffee

March 6 – Scott announces partnership with ActionTrailersOntario

+ out for dinner with guy friends / Skating in Komoka rink

+ Tessa media day for Nivea (Toronto)

March 7 – Tessa Breaking the Ice Event for Nivea (Toronto)

March 8 – Tessa does interview for Canadian Living Magazine and business dinner / Scott arrives in Toronto by train + spotted in bar at night

March 9 – Tessa and Scott huge MEDIA DAY in Toronto

March 10 – Tessa and Scott at Leafs Game (get personalized jerseys) + Scott at sports bar and Tessa at bar with The Arkells (bars across from each other)

March 12 – Training with Sam new Michael Jackson number + Tessa has a spa night (Montreal)

March 13 – Training with Sam

March 14 – Training with Sam

March 15 – Training with Sam / ToutLeMondeParle filming / drinks with Mathieu Caron and Sandrine Balthazard at Le Parloir -caves privees

+ Tessa breaking the Ice with Nivea party at rink early in the day

March 16 – Tessa and Scott dinner with Scott and Jamie Livingston and rest of the team at Foxy restaurant in Montreal

March 17 – Scott spotted at bar in London on St Patty’s day

March 18 – Scott spotted with family member (Cara) at the Toronto airport in the morning / Tessa and Kelly do sightseeing in (Venice, California)

March 19 – Tessa and Scott film Ellen Show episode in (Burbank, California)

March 20 – Ellen episode airs and both are spotted at the airport in LA en route to Toronto

March 21 – Scott and Tessa back in London / Scott does spring shoot for Saffron Road

March 22 – Tessa takes over KitCA Instagram account + Scott cameo while training for CSOI (Ilderton Arena)

March 23 – Morning radio interview BX93 + The Taz Show / Breakfast at The Bag Lady / Training for SOI / Scott trains for hockey game in the afternoon + Tessa gets Molson Canadian beer fridge

(+ Tessa mentions Scott playing the other night hockey wit the Poplar Hill Flyers and scoring a goal)

March 24 – Scott plays in Fire & Ice charity hockey game (Lucan) + tells fans he has to get back to Tessa in the evening

March 25 – Tessa posts from London (TS clips for Gord come out from her living room)

March 26 – Leave for Japan from London airport

************Stars on Ice Japan Tour (March 31 April 8)

Osaka March 31 - April 1

April 1 – Boat night ride in Osaka (Eric, Patrick, Javi and Kaetlyn)

April 2 – Cafe Arabiq afternoon / Tessa does Yoga with Meagan in Osaka

April 3 – Travel day to Yokohama / Bowling Night (Scott, Meagan, Javi, Evgenia, Plushenko)

April 5 – Training in Yokohama

Yokohama April 6-7-8

April 8 – Last show day + karaoke with cast and bowling at night

April 9 - travelling back to Canada

April 11 – Tessa morning Yoga + dinner at Le Vin Papillon (Montreal)

April 12 – Tessa morning photo shoot for Bon Look (Montreal)

April 13 – Tessa spotted in Toronto

April 14 – Tessa and Scott early afternoon speak at Ontario Sports Symposium (Toronto) + sighting dinner together at Fairmount Hotel

April 15 – Tessa and Scott in Hamilton for sit down with Steve Milton for their book (+ possibly attend Patrick's retirement party)

April 16 – Tessa Takeover:YourMorning, TheMarilynDenisShow, TheSocialCTV & EtalkCTV (Toronto)

April 17 – Tessa morning photo shoot with Strong Magazine (Toronto) + Scott morning sighting at Starbucks in London and event with kids at Komoka rink

April 18 – Scott morning visit to Rick Hansen public school (London) + Tessa work out at RevCon (London)

April 19 – Scott travels to Calgary + Scott visits his niece’s school Prince of Peace (Calgary) + Scott at Calalta Ice Show

April 20 – Tessa and Scott Classroom Champions luncheon panel (Calgary)

April 21 – Scott at MoirsSkateShop + restaurant picking up food / Tessa at home watching the Leafs game (London)

April 22 – Tessa and Scott spotted at Toronto airport and dinner with SOI cast at night (Halifax)

April 23 – Scott and the guys go out to AleHouse (Halifax)

April 24 – Tessa, Scott and Jeffrey dinner at The Bicycle Thief (Halifax)

April 25 – Scott and Patrick at AleHouse (Halifax)

************Stars on Ice Tour (April 27 - May 17)

April 27 HALIFAX

April 28 – Cast hanging out in Ottawa + Greg Kolz bday dinner

April 29 OTTAWA

April 30 – TS spotted at dinner (anon report from Montreal)

May 1 – TS training at Gadbois in the morning + Tessa business lunch at Ritz Carlton

May 2 MONTREAL

May 3 – Tessa and Scott at Raptors game + meet Drake

May 4 TORONTO (TS spotted at hotel + Scott morning coaching with a team at Toronto Cricket Club) Scott podcast with Scott Livingston released

May 5 HAMILTON + Tessa podcast with Scott Livingston released

May 6 LONDON + TS leave venue together in a white car + Scott spotted at Molly’s Pub and an Italian restaurant with family

May 7 – Scott at Oxbow public school in the morning + Tessa photoshoot for Saffron Road in the morning and co-hosting an event with Saffron Road in the evening (London)

May 8 – Tessa morning shoot for House and Home Magazine + announces endorsement for HelloFresh Canada. Tessa flew to Winnipeg in the evening + Scott spotted at restaurant in Winnipeg evening with SOI cast

May 9 WINNIPEG (TS and Patrick lunch at Stella’s Plug)

+ Scott attends a birthday party for Greg Kolz (photographer) (unknown if others are in attendance)

May 10 – TS spotted around Winnipeg with the cast morning + TS/Weapo spotted in downtown + Cast flew in the evening + TS spotted at the Rook and Raven Tavern in Saskatoon

May 11 SASKATOON (Boys breakfast together)

May 12 CALGARY

May 13 EDMONTON – Scott out with the boys at Sherlock’s Pub

May 14 – TS + Cast fly to Victoria and Scott at Irish Times Pub in the early evening

May 15 VICTORIA – TS spotted together (fan reports) she did not share pics out of respect for privacy

May 16 – Cast travels to Vancouver on ferry + TS dinner with Dominick Gauthier and Jenn Heil near Gastown

May 17 VANCOUVER + TESSA’s BIRTHDAY!! + Scott gives training advice in the morning at Burnaby 8 Rinks with theintelsc + Tessa and Scott take pics with a cake for Tessa from the bakery

May 18 – travel to South Korea

May 19 – practice for All That Skate

************ALL THAT SKATE Tour (May 20 - May 22) Mokdong, South Korea

May 23 – traveled at 4 am to Japan – practice later

************Fantasy on Ice Tour (May 25 - July 1st)

May 25 MAKUHARI

May 26 MAKUHARI

May 27 MAKUHARI

May 28 – Tessa posts about work out at Park Hyatt Tokyo

May 29 – Tessa does photo shoot for Vogue Japan in Tokyo (Scott met with her after shoot was done and looked over the pics)

May 30 – Scott (maybe Tessa) spotted travelling with the cast by train (Scott had her luggage)

May 31 – Tessa Scott Jeff and Javi out for Sushi in Kanazawa

(Vogue editor Nayumi Nakamura posts insta story having a meal with Tessa and Scott…date could be from May 29)

JUNE 1 KANAZAWA

JUNE 2 KANAZAWA

JUNE 3 KANAZAWA + travel to Belgium from Tokyo

June 4 – Tessa posts about eating ice cream + sightseeing with Scott in Antwerp

June 5 – Tessa and Scott out and about in Antwerp: visiting museums, sightseeing, shoe shopping, eating waffles,Tutu shop etc. + RELEASE of Tessa’s new H&B line + Thank You Canada Tour announcement

June 6 – Tessa and Scott out to dinner with trip guests

*************Gold Medal Plates Trip June 7 - 14, 2018****************

June 7 – Tessa napped before the speech (Scott texted back to Jen Reid) both gave welcoming guests + group dinner

June 8 – Scott bike tour around Antwerp + TS announce being advocates for #abusefreesport

June 9 – Morning visit to the market in Antwerp + Visit to the Passchendaele Memorial (dinner and concert)

June 10 – Tessa bike tour around Antwerp + Boat trip with music performances + dinner with GMP guests at Elfde Gebod

June 11 – Morning in Belgium Chimay Abbey tour (TS in forest pic) + bus trip to Reims, France + Tessa sightseeing churches

June 12 – Morning tour to G. Tribaut Champagne, France + dinner with guests

June 13 – Traveled to Japan from Paris – straight into practice in Kobe

June 14 – Practice day in Kobe

JUNE 15 KOBE

JUNE 16 KOBE

JUNE 17 KOBE ***<3 (fan reports they were out strolling holding hands at night near their hotel)

June 18 – Lunch with cast at Kobe Chinatown + sightseeing

June 19 – travel day to Niigata

June 20 – Tessa and Scott with Javi go out golfing in Niigata

June 21 – practice day

JUNE 22 NIIGATA + Tessa posts about eating together (pic of her with Scott and Javi but could be from the 20th)

JUNE 23 NIIGATA + Tessa out to dinner with Johnny, Miki, Anna and others.

JUNE 24 NIIGATA

June 25 – Tessa and Kat out for coffee + Tessa Scott Kat and Jeff dinner out in Tokyo

June 26 – Tessa and Kat out shopping in Harajuku + Scott and Jeff shopping nearby + meeting with Vogue Editor at Two Rooms Grill Bar + dinner with Kat and Jeff at Benkei Umi in the district of Ginza in Tokyo

June 27 – Tessa and Kat Bitove explore Happo-En park

June 28 – Tessa posts about Four Seasons hotel (along with Kat Bitove)

JUNE 29 SHIZUOKA

JUNE 30 SHIZUOKA

JULY 1 SHIZUOKA

July 3 – Tessa Scott Miki and Alojna go watch a baseball game at Tokyo Dome

July 4 – Tessa posts about playing golf in Susono-Shi Shizuoka

July 5 - Filming for Japanese TV + Practice for Dreams on Ice in Yokohama + Thank You Ilderton Party Announcement

************Dreams On Ice Tour (July 6-8) Yokohama, Japan

July 9 – Tessa and Scott back to Canada

July 10 - Tessa and Scott Thank You Canada Tour media day (Toronto)

July 11 – Tessa and Scott Acura West gala to introduce new model and support the Trauma Unit + Etalk appearance

July 12 - Tessa spotted Eddingtons of Exeter restaurant + Scott coaching in Ilderton

July 13-15 - Tessa at the DAMM family reunion (probably with Kate and Jordan)

+ Scott spotted at The Singing Chef of London

+ Scott gets a dramatic haircut

July 14 - Scott at farmers' market to give away tickets to locals for the Thank You Ilderton party

July 15 - Scott attends charity golf game (London)

July 16- 17 - Tessa at the cottage

July 17 - Scott spotted at restaurant (Toronto)

July 18 - Tessa and Scott film an episode of Mr. D (Halifax)

July 19 – Scott stops by skating rink to chat with skaters + attends dinner and meet and greet Team Jacobs Golf Tournament (Sault St Marie)

+ Tessa goes to Playa Del Carmen with Kat Bitove, Allie Grand, and Jessica Mulroney in a wedding related photoshoot (through July 22/23) (Mexico)

July 20 – Scott attends Team Jacobs Charity Golf Tournament (Sault St Marie)

July 21 -- Scott spotted at Moir's Skate Shop

July 23 -- Tessa and Scott announced as inductees to Canada''s Walk of Fame (to be awarded December 1)

July 24 -- Scott spotted at Ilderton Arena to give away tickets to locals for the Thank You Ilderton party

July 25 -- Tessa photoshoot (Toronto)

July 26 -- Tessa photoshoot for Adidas (Toronto)

July 27 -- Scott on radio via phone - The Taz show to promote Thank You Ilderton

July 29 -- Tessa at the cottage - her niece asked her to write, among other things, Tessa, Scott, nail polish and cupcake in the sand

July 31 -- Scott on radio via phone - The Dave and Rachel show to promote Thank You Ilderton + Tessa spotted in bookstore

August 1 -- Tessa posts a picture at a takeout restaurant and a bookstore

August 2 -- Scott roams Ilderton with his niece to award the winner of decorating for Thank You Ilderton and is photographed at the arena with a black eye (which he got playing softball)

August 3 -- Tessa posts a picture from the cottage

August 4 – Scott and Tessa // Thank You Ilderton Party & Parade

August 6 -- Tessa at the cottage + Hello Fresh fulfillment post

August 9 -- Scott at Quebec Summer Skate (through August 12) (Montreal)

August 11 -- Tessa vacations in France with Kate and Jordan (through August 26)

August 12 -- Scott is announced to be helping Polish ice dance team Plutowska/Flemin

August 13 -- Scott at Gadbois, helping coach numerous teams (through August 17)

August 17 -- Scott spotted out in Montreal

August 21 -- Anastasia Buscis' Player's Own Voice with Scott's interview is released (recorded weekend of July 20)

August 27 -- Tessa home in London, grocery shopping

August 28 -- Tessa and Scott go to Utah for Visa sponsorship commitment (through Aug 30)

September 2 – Scott’s BDAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!

September 5 -- picture posted of Scott in Florida (exact trip dates: unknown) + Tessa spotted for lunch with friends at The Bag Lady (London)

September 6 -- Scott Hamilton and Friends charity skate announced for November

September 8 -- Scott attends a wedding in Ilderton

September 11 -- Scott spotted in London

September 12 -- Tessa and Scott deliver a speech at Ivey Business School in London

September 13 - Tessa and Scott do a joint Hello Fresh promotion + do promotion for their new book

+ picture of Scott posted from Fitness Depot, presumably from when he was purchasing gym equipment for TTYCT (London)

September 14 -- Scott participates in the 'toba Cup, a charity golf tournament (near London)

September 17 -- Tessa and Scott in Montreal for TTYCT preparation

September 18 -- Tessa and Scott attend Soiree des Olympians (Montreal)

September 19 - Tessa appears on Marina Orsini promoting Nivea + Tessa, Scott and Sam outdoor filming for TTYCT

September 20 -- Tessa and Scott win Canadian Sports Awards for Performance of the Year and Partners of the Year (recorded speech)

September 21 -- Tessa and Scott announced as guest athletes on two future Great Kitchen Party auction trips to Mallorca and Newfoundland + Tessa attends dinner with BonLook

September 22 -- group rehearsals start for TTYCT

September 27 - media day for TTYCT + Tessa does a photoshoot for Adidas + Scott out to dinner with Andrew, Sam, and Marie-France

OCT 2 – BOOK RELEASE (official; copies were available mid-September)

+ Tessa out for very early yoga class with Kaetlyn and Meagan

*****************Thank You Canada Tour (co-produced by T&S)

OCT 5 ABBOTSFORD, BC

OCT 6 KELOWNA BC

+ Tessa has a commercial for The Brick air

Oct 8 - Tessa spotted at West Edmonton Mall with a friend going to the movies + Scott spotted at West Edmonton Mall shopping

OCT 9 GRANDE PRAIRIE, AB

October 11 -- Scott spotted at West Edmonton Mall shopping and observing Weaver/Poje practice

+ Tessa attends spinning class

October 12 -- Scott spotted at lunch at Joey Bell Tower (Edmonton)

OCT 13 PRINCE GEORGE, BC

OCT 14 DAWSON CREEK, BC

October 15 -- Tessa and Scott interviewed on Mandy and Tyler radio show

October 16 -- Tessa and Scott appear on CTV morning show via video to promote TTYCT in Regina + Tessa and Scott appear in Calgary to talk about the Olympics 2026 bid + Tessa does some 'incognito' promotion for their book at Chapters in Chinook

October 17 -- Tessa and Scott do a meet and greet for Canadian Tire (Calgary) + Scott spotted at restaurant

OCT 17 LETHBRIDGE, AB

OCT 18 RED DEER, AB

OCT 19 REGINA, SK

+ Tessa and Scott do early day press rounds to promote TTYCT

OCT 20 MEDICINE HAT, AB

+ Scott spotted outside arena with Andrew learning moves from Elvis

OCT 21 BRANDON, MB

October 23 -- cast stop in Minneapolis; Tessa posts photo of herself at a crosswalk

OCT 25 SAULT ST. MARIE, ON

+ Scott and Elvis spotted at Sault Ste. Marie shopping mall

OCT 26 SUDBURY, ON

+ Tessa and Andrew posed for a pic outside the arena

OCT 27 KITCHENER, ON

OCT 28 MISSISSAGUA, ON (2 shows)

October 29 -- Tessa and Scott attend GKP dinner in Toronto

OCT 31 BARRIE, ON

+ Tessa and Scott do an early meet and greet for Canadian Tire

NOV 1 OSHAWA, ON

NOV 2 SARNIA, ON

NOV 3 LONDON, ON

NOV 4 SAINT CATHARINES, ON

November 5 -- Tessa and Scott do a CTV takeover, co-hosting and guesting on CTV Your Morning, The Social, Etalk!, and Marilyn Dennis (Toronto)

November 6 - Tessa attends a Habitat for Humanity event + Scott attends a Maple Leafs game as part of Air Canada promotion (Toronto)

November 7 -- Tessa and Scott attend an Air Canada partnership event at Casa Loma (including Tessa's eyebrow raising photo impersonating Victoria Beckham) (Toronto)

NOV 8 KINGSTON, ON

+ Tessa and Scott attend a meal with family members of The Tragically Hip

NOV 9 PETERBOROUGH, ON

+ cast of TTYCT films interview for CBC about the tour, and their future plans (aired November 12)

NOV 10 QUEBEC CITY, QC

NOV 11 MONCTON, NB

+ Tessa and Scott win People's Choice Award for Most Hypeworthy Canadians (via pre-taped video)

NOV 13 SAINT JOHN, NB

+ Scott spotted at Britt's Pub and Eatery (Saint John)

NOV 14 SYDNEY, NS

NOV 15 SUMMERSIDE, PEI - tour stop cancelled due to weather

November 16 - Tessa does an Adidas promotional event (Toronto)

November 17 - Tessa and Scott arrive in Nashville for Scott Hamilton and Friends rehearsals

****November 18 -- Scott Hamilton and Friends Ice Show, and After Show Celebration, benefitting cancer research

November 19 -- Tessa and Scott teach at Scott Hamilton's Champs Camp

November 22 -- spotted at the airport on their way to Newfoundland (Toronto)

November 23 -- TTYCT cast out for dinner and drinks (Saint John's)

NOV 24 SAINT JOHN’S, NL (2 shows)

November 25 - Tessa and Scott spotted in Toronto (conflicting reports if it was at the airport or otherwise)

November 26 - Scott at the Ilderton Arena with young skaters

November 29 - premiere of Mr. D episode in which Tessa and Scott guest-starred (CBC)

November 29 - book signing (Toronto)

+ Tessa and Scott announce plans for another of their own tours in the fall of 2019 (no other Canadian tours for them that year)

+ Tessa and Scott attended Special Olympics Canada Awards 2018 (Toronto) (with Jackie, Scott's original ice dance partner also there)

November 30 - Tessa and Scott attend the Special Olympics Canada Limitless Gala + attend Canada's Walk of Fame event

December 1 -- Tessa and Scott inducted into Canada's Walk of Fame (Toronto)

December 2 -- television premiere of The Thank You Canada Tour (CTV) postponed

+ Scott with Steve Mignardi (CSOI and TTYCT driver) celebrating's Steve's granddaughter's birthday + spotted at Bulldog Pub (Oshawa)

December 4 -- Tessa and Scott keynote speakers for Hope in the City luncheon (Victoria)

December 5 – Tessa and Scott keynote speakers Hope in the City breakfast (Vancouver)

December 6 -- book signing/conversation (Vancouver, 2 locations) + taped an interview with CBC q

December 7 -- Tessa and Scott attend a Visa holiday party (Toronto)

+ Tessa's commercial with Becel and Habitat for Humanity airs

December 9 -- Canada's Walk of Fame airs (CTV)

December 10 -- Tessa has a 'top secret' shoot + returns to Montreal for Nivea production

December 11-13 -- Tessa Nivea commercial shoot

December 13 -- CBC q interview airs

December 14 -- CSOI 2018 airs on Radio-Canada

+ Scott in Dominican Republic with Jackie (and through at least December 15)

December 15 - Tessa attends a Nivea event at Elora Apothecary Pharmasave (Elora, Ontario)

December 16 -- Tessa posts a picture from Elora Mill

December 18 -- social media photo of Tessa posted at her mom's house

December 19 -- podcast with Scott on Inside Sports with Reid Wilkins and guest host Kaetlyn Osmond (at time of recording he was in Tampa, Florida)

+ Tessa's photoshoot for Wedding Vacation Magazine comes out

December 20 -- CSOI 2018 airs on CBC

+ Tessa and Scott named as CBC Athletes of the Year

December 21 -- Tessa spotted at Chapters bookstore

December 22 -- Tessa posts a brand thank you from her London home and an outdoor photo of herself

December 24 -- Scott attends annual Christmas Eve workout at Revolution Conditioning (London) (Tessa 'likes' the group photo posted) + Scott spotted at Masonville mall + Tessa posts about her partnership with Habitat for Humanity/Becel

December 25 -- Tessa posts one of her Christmas trees and a childhood photo

December 26 -- Tessa posts about relaxing at home (London)

December 28 -- Tessa and Scott named Canadian Press Team of the Year

December 30 -- Scott spotted on London to Toronto flight (assumption he flew out of Toronto to Florida for New Year's Eve)

2019

January 3 -- Tessa posts from home (London)

January 4 -- Tessa posts from the cottage (Bayfield) (through at least January 5)

+ Tessa has dinner with a friend from her Saffron Rd. photoshoot

January 7 -- Tessa spotted travelling by plane

+ Scott spotted in Florida (known via very controversial pictures) (PSA: don't be a stalker)

January 8-13 -- Tessa in New York with Kelly playing tourist and doing a photoshoot

January 11 -- Tessa spotted at a spin class (New York)

+ Scott spotted at a restaurant (London)

January 14 -- Tessa and Scott do a photoshoot (Toronto)

January 16 -- Tessa posts about Moir's Skate Shop helping her get new skates

+ Tessa attends a CanSkate class to watch her niece (Komolka)

January 18 -- Tessa does a photoshoot (London) + posts about watching Canadian Nationals (also on January 19)

+ Scott with Patrick, Liam Firus, and Manuel Osborne-Paradis (Whistler, BC)

January 19 -- Scott appears in IG stories snowboarding with Jackie and friends (Whistler)

January 22 -- Tessa posts a photo of herself at a barre class (Detroit)

January 24 -- Tessa does appearances with Sophie Gregoire-Trudeau for Fillactive/Fitspirit as the 2019 ambassador (Toronto)

January 26 -- Tessa posts about a project being filmed with a childhood friend, Katie

January 28 -- Tessa's podcast for Her Mark airs (taped November 9, 2018) + Tessa posts photos from home for Nivea

January 31 -- Tessa does a radio interview (TSN) and a TV appearance (CP24) for Adidas She Breaks Barriers (Toronto)

February 1 -- Tessa attends Motionball Gala (for Special Olympics) (Toronto)

February 2 -- Tessa posts herself on a train (presumably going back to London)

February 5 -- Tessa attends a SpinCo class + Tessa at Westside studio + Tessa attends Toronto Fashion Week David Dixon show in support of osteoporosis (Toronto)

February 6 --- Tessa at Easter Seals Rogers Conn Smythe Sports Celebrities Dinner & Auction and gives a speech (Toronto)

February 7 & 8 -- Tessa films for her partnership with The Brick (Toronto)

February 10 -- television premiere of The Thank You Canada Tour (new date) + photo released from January photoshoot promoting TTYCT2

February 11 -- Tessa announces partnership with Air Miles Canada and does numerous interviews (television and radio) highlighting Valentine's Day + pre-tapes interview for the 1 year anniversary of their PyeongChang gold medal (Toronto)

February 13 -- Tessa donated two costumes for charity auction benefitting London Abused Women's Centre + eTalk airs new segments on Tessa's July Mexico trip with Jessica Mulroney

February 17 -- Tessa at fellow ice dancer Lewis Gibson's 9am spin class (Montreal)

February 18 -- Tessa in studio (voiceovers?) for Nivea (Montreal)

February 19 -- Tessa posts a boomerang with Scott recreating their Sympathy for the Devil opening choreography + Scott does an interview with Leafs Nation Network (coming soon) + Tessa and Scott attend a lunch with supporters of Air Canada Foundation (Toronto)

February 20 -- one year anniversary of PyeongChang Olympic gold medal celebrations from Tessa, fans, and media + profile piece on Tessa regarding post-Olympic struggles released by The Walrus + Scott breaks social media hiatus to post an Olympics anniversary thank you to their team + Scott spotted at Moir's Skate Shop (London)

To Be Continued in the Post-One-Year Anniversary timeline

#timeline #(I can't promise I'll keep up with this faithfully)#(but anyway it's updated for what we know)#(please let me know if there are major errors LOL)

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virtuemoirdailynews · 5 years

Text

Post-PyeongChang Timeline #03

Carried over from the original creator and curator, @balletfever89. Links to her original Post-Sochi timeline and her Post-Comeback timeline, as well as the original version of this timeline, Post-PyeongChang. Some of the dates may be slightly off, as I’m looking backwards at blogs instead of keeping up as things happen.