Hmm it is a bit weird that Gren is pretty friendly, although ever since Makoto came back things have been different. Rose is actually dead this time and Dewitt and Clara are there when they weren't last time I wonder what may be going on really
Wow, Gren was friendly with Ross that quick? Hmm, well, good to know Makoto is also getting back in the swing of things again, being brought back from the dead and all. XD
Yeah! Well, there was an Arc in Fairest that revealed that there was a Fabletown in Japan (A really epic one at that!) and also there was the 'Arabian Nights' arc that showed that there was a Fabletown in the Middle East as well (Also pretty cool, much more traditional.) So I figured I would add those bit in, plus my own flare
No problem! I should know the answer to anything in particular
After reading this, it sounds like there are pretty much Fabletowns of every nationality, right? This is interesting though, unknown creatur… morees skulking about Fabletown and special operative operations going on. I think Ava will eventually be the first to know what their goals are specifically. :P
EDIT: I will be asking you a question about Harmony as well, nothing related to your current story at hand.
Porgie Clan Pages I THINK 11, 12, 13 & 14
Any questions, you know the drill. JUST got home and I'm wired! FINALLY finished… more the last few pages this morning while on break. It won't stay on Junior like this for very long; Mary always seems to cause tension and it explains how these two finally were allowed to see one another without Georgie OR Lyla going nuts like this. xD
Jan Challenge
....Because this has the Grendel brothers ALL over it....>:D
Tuesday; Jan 4th Midnight
Or, so that is what Robert'… mores watch read. His left eye gently opened. The open night air was above and a thick carpet of grass below him. Robert's head was throbbing and his left legt tingling. There was a set of handcuffs on his right arm; the open end dangled, as Robert examined the metal grasping at his wrist.
He turned to look around his surrounding area; they were far from the city and somewhere in the middle of nowhere. Last Robert remembered was a birthday party for Rose Red; he was dancing the CHA CHA Slide and drinking Margaritas. He recalled Gren joining in, Jack acting a fool again; the Porgie couple dancing behind him, Cratchit couple eating Shrimp cocktail and Rose drinking a bottle of Champagne to herself. Bigby and Snow were there, too; he saw them in the corner, blowing horns and talking to Flycatcher and Cole.
… [view original content]
"Late. Again," Jersey's voice was terse; Ava had gotten used to his pissy moods, which happened to elevate whenever she strolled through the door.
"Sorry, man. But believe me when I tell you, I actually intended on getting to work on time today."
Jersey scoffed, turning his attention back to the dinosaur of a computer that sat on the glass counter at one end of the Pawn Shop. She had been begging him for months to switch over to a mac, or a nicer windows 8 computer, but nahhhh.
Jersey can't part with his beloved Bertha. What the hell kind of name was that? And for a computer that was older than time itself?
Ava figured he could have at least come up with something more badass. Like 'Graphical Ass Kicker' or 'The Pixel Destroyer'.
She pulled up her uncomfortable stool from behind the counter, and set it up near the front door. She would have been surprised if more than 5 people came today. There never was much activity at the Lucky Pawn, and therefore she often argued that in order for her to be on time to work, she had to see more than 7 unfamiliar faces on average. So far, the average was maybe 2.
Jersey grumbled as he was no doubt reading his lottery numbers online. She wondered how fast the processor even was, if it even ran on anything more than Windows XP, which, if you haven't heard, was officially unsupported by Microsoft at the end of last year. Realizing that she'd been going on a useless tangent about computing software, Ava decided to stand up and walk around aimlessly. She liked to think that she actually owned all the items in the shop, from the magical typewriter, (Yes, that exists.) to the spell books donated 'anonymously' (Everyone knows Jack stole them.) and even a few cursed relics and battle axes. They were freakin' awesome.
Ava turned to the register, playing with the ancient buttons (Because like the computer, Jersey had also named his register and refused to upgrade that either.)
"Hey, stop touching Lynnete! You'll break her for the thousandth time this month! Ya little brat..."
Ava just giggled. She loved making him angry. There wasn't anything he could do about it. He wouldn't have done anything. He's turned into a sap over the years. Can't even turn to his true form with out brief hesitation. She saw it once, but thankfully it hadn't been anything she did. Some customer claimed that there was a necklace he was looking for, and suspected it was in their shop. She told the creep (Because no matter how many time they asked him, he would not remove his darkened hood.) that they never even saw it before, and Jersey had to use force to make the man leave.
".....Stupid- internet thingy-" Jersey was struggling to open a side panel on his computer screen. She figured the fan must have stopped working, like it always did. She sighed, walking over to help her boss with his computer issues.
"There's a button you have to press, remember?" She reminded him. Jersey stared at her, like she was speaking another language. Sighing exasperatedly, Ava pressed the button that released the hatch that allowed you to see all the fancy computer bits and circuit boards.
"The fan is busted again!" Jersey's voice seemed to always be yelling.
"You need to clean the dust off of it," Ava told him. "It's so clogged-"
The doors to the shop opened up. The sound of the little bell was what caught Ava's attention. Some hooded guy-....Oh no. Not him again. She lifted her head out from the tiny compartment on the computer and gave a fake but cordial smile as his head wavered over the jewelry section.
"Told you, we don't-" Jersey started, but as soon as his eyes met with the man's eyes, he went silent. Jersey looked toward Ava nervously, all of the sudden standing in front of her, as if to protect her.
"Jersey-" Ava said,"What's going-"
"Just finish fixing my computer," He growled. In a huff, Ava leaned back over and tried to get her hand in the way back to pull the dust bunnies out.
The man seemed to chuckle menacingly, and it almost scared Ava. It was so.....familiar. Not a chuckled, a growling. A growling laugh. She felt her insides jitter as she tried to keep her business out of it all.
"Like I said," Jersey repeated. "We ain't got your damn necklace."
"Then," The man's voice was surprisingly neutral. "Where should I look for it then? Because there's no doubt my daughter got rid of it somehow..."
Ava didn't look up, but she could feel his gaze on her back. Like lasers, frying through her brain. She gulped, tossing more dirt and dust into the trash can beneath her.
The man's attention looked through the windows. She could hear the distaste in his voice as he stammered,"Those imbeciles. Excuse me, while I-"
CRASH!
Ava jumped and looked up. There were two more people in the room, wrestling hastily. One looked not even human- Blue scales covered it's body, and it had long black hair on it's head, and it's fingers were webbed- And it was fighting....fighting with Jian-min?
Ava was both confused, shocked, and overwhelmed. She didn't know who it was who pushed her behind the counter, but now she was watching the fight through the glass cases and she saw the disturbing color of Jersey's wings masking most of what was going on. She noticed that the man had disappeared, whether in to thin air, or using the broken window, she couldn't tell. The alarm was going off, signalling that the 'Police' would be coming. In reality, it never triggered any alert to any mundies. The only person who would see the disturbance would be the sheriff, and nine times out of ten, her sister Mary was probably out on the street yelling at some kid for kicking an empty soda can instead of waiting in her office for an important call.
Ava jumped when she saw Jian draw a sword- Where had he even concealed it? - and stabbed it straight through the blue thing. The blue thing shriveled and burned and then stopped moving all together. Jersey turned back to his normal form, the little strands of red hair frayed upon his otherwise balding head.
"Thanks," She heard Jian say, but Jersey just grunted. "And the body will be picked up shortly. I promise."
"It was you who busted my window," Jersey said. "I expect it replaced?"
"Certainly," Jian-min said. His gaze wandered to Ava, who was frozen again as their eyes met. Why the hell did that always happen? Jersey headed to his computer, still mumbling his distaste as Ava was helped up by Jian's iron grip. He seemed well now, after a jab to his injured side earlier that morning.
Jian-min looked at some of the relics in the case that stood between them. There was a few cursed dolls, a few holy symbols, and even some weapons.
"So strange," He said. "These look nothing like some of the Chinese relics that I've seen my whole life. Not as....shiny?"
Ava shrugged. "Well, these ones are all Native American shrine keepsakes, and those are from the earliest settlement days. Jersey gets a TON of-"
"Why are you talkin' about me? Get the damn kid to pay for my damn window!"
Ava rolled her eyes. "Here. come to the back room with me."
Jian-min followed her into the office. It doubled as Jersey's apartment, with a little cot in the corner and a kitchenette near the door. She plopped on the office chair and turned on the extra light, so they could see better.
"He wants you to sign this slip of paper-" Ava tossed her hands into a semi-open cabinet, shuffling through loads of papers and documents,"-Just to make sure you have your word. He's very finicky-"
Jian's lips pressed on hers. It tasted like salt and blood, and a hint of mint. Had he been chewing gum? Drinking a hot beverage that contained mint? She pushed him off of her, despite the ache in the back of her head that was created in doing so. She wanted more of him, but that would simply not do. They stared at each other, both with wide eyes.
"I-...." God dammit. That stammering thing again. Why was it always in front of Jian-min did Ava forget every word that would have normally rolled off her tongue like verbal diarrhea?
"I'm sorry," He whispered. "I just....I'll sign the paper, if that's what the bird-monster-thing wants."
Ava silently slid the paper across the desk with a pen on top. She couldn't stop staring at him, suddenly noticing the bruise across his chin, and the cuts down his arms. He wasn't wearing a sweatshirt anymore, but a faded graphic t-shirt with an indecipherable Chinese symbol. She imagined it probably said something like 'Nobel' or 'Peace'.
He folded the paper in half, and pressed it into Ava's slightly shaking hands. It took her a minute to process that information, but she curtly nodded and watched as he stepped out of the office, without another word. She heard the tiny bell that dinged when the door opened, and she could see through the little crack in the office door that Jian-min was long gone.
She stood up, placing the paper on the table. Then, she proceeded to hit her head on the door frame. "Stupid, stupid, stupid-"
"Would ya quit it? I'll have to friggin' fix you if you break yourself! Bad enough I gotta window ta fix!"
Ava sighed. It was going to be a long day, especially now since the window was busted and was letting in the cold winter air. She wanted to retreat into her jacket and pretend like the world didn't exist with her. She should have said something to Jian-min. Should have not pushed him off of her. Should have done something right for once. Hell, maybe she should have followed him and quit the Lucky Pawn and became a super awesome Special Ops like countless others who were also apparently apart of the whole thing.
She took her spot, wiping off the glass from the stool, and waited aimlessly for their usual customers to start rolling in through the damn door.
Action! Excitement! Drama! I hope you like this so far! I'll be getting on to my New Years Challenge soon, but I'm super engrossed in this new story right now ^-^ Any questions, don't be scared to ask!
Thank you, Tetra! I couldn't help myself. Gren seems like one of those guys, no matter the situation, to find humor in times like these. Not to mention he IS still kinda drunk.
An all out battle? Man....putting me on the spot for that intense moment! jk Hopefully Robert can stay away from the temptation of battling his lovers's father. No offense-my OC has nothing on an alpha like John!
Given how John reacts to situations in the 'olden' days, I suspect his behavior won't be smiles and sunshine. Yep, I predict there will an adrenaline-fueled fight soon enough. :S
I figured his was before Mary could come and go as she pleases but I wanted to make sure. I'd hate to assume something. Also another question: Junior's eyes. They do that when she's around? Would explain why he won't look at Lyla.
You can help but love Mary, especially now with her 'love' interest Georgie Porgie junior! Again,great job!
Thanks. I needed this. Been dying to finish these last few pages but I've been so busy. This is BEFORE Georgie and Lyla allow Mary the abil… moreity to see their son; I'll explain more as the chapters and story goes on. (Explains why Georgie is so mad and why Junior can't look at his mother)
Ah and Mary....where would we be without or loving Mary? I feel the same way; I like to write about my Fables but pictures made the experience more exciting.
It does make sense because since you started writing the Porgie Clan stories, she was the ONLY Smith girl to never appear or remain in the shadows. It makes sense now, considering she had this evil plan all along.
It's sad she can't look past all this to see her Ffamily is happy
Her decision to take this into her own hands was indeed selfish. I hope Peter just lays it into her! I hope when she gets to Gren's apartment he joins Peter! And Georgie, seeing as he may still be there.
Judging by the gifs and this rather interesting comment post, you enjoyed this chapter.
I tried to throw clues since the VERY begining o… moref my story; Mary was always still so against Fables and Folkers combining. She was too much like Decimus and all those before her. She was angry that her own father sided with Bigby and felt he needed to be dealt with. She, too, was not pleased when she knew Georgie and Lyla managed to break the spell and join as one.
Mary, like all the previous Folkers, was power hungry; by killing the Tailor and Jumbo, it was a warning to Fables alike; she killing Hank was for the lack of effort in controlling the Folker community and letting her father slip through their fingers so easily. As far as Emily's club goes; it was a warning for the family. Mary figured by scaring the Fables, they would return to where my 1st story began and bring back all the old rules and regulations.
Mary was behind John's disapperan… [view original content]
Thank you, Tetra! I couldn't help myself. Gren seems like one of those guys, no matter the situation, to find humor in times like these. Not to mention he IS still kinda drunk.
This made me smirk so hard, you don't even know! XD Everything was perfect so far, besides the fact that I don't think Central Park has pine trees or a forest... regardless, keep it up!
P.S. - The MLP cast tattooed on Gren is surely something to be embarrassed of indeed! :P
Jan Challenge
....Because this has the Grendel brothers ALL over it....>:D
Tuesday; Jan 4th Midnight
Or, so that is what Robert'… mores watch read. His left eye gently opened. The open night air was above and a thick carpet of grass below him. Robert's head was throbbing and his left legt tingling. There was a set of handcuffs on his right arm; the open end dangled, as Robert examined the metal grasping at his wrist.
He turned to look around his surrounding area; they were far from the city and somewhere in the middle of nowhere. Last Robert remembered was a birthday party for Rose Red; he was dancing the CHA CHA Slide and drinking Margaritas. He recalled Gren joining in, Jack acting a fool again; the Porgie couple dancing behind him, Cratchit couple eating Shrimp cocktail and Rose drinking a bottle of Champagne to herself. Bigby and Snow were there, too; he saw them in the corner, blowing horns and talking to Flycatcher and Cole.
… [view original content]
An all out battle? Man....putting me on the spot for that intense moment! jk Hopefully Robert can stay away from the temptation of battling his lovers's father. No offense-my OC has nothing on an alpha like John!
Hmm it is a bit weird that Gren is pretty friendly, although ever since Makoto came back things have been different. Rose is actually dead this time and Dewitt and Clara are there when they weren't last time I wonder what may be going on really
I did that on purpose; I had an idea with Mary for awhile and after the months of writing the Porgie Clan, this made sense. Mary was evil and was willing to do ANYTHING to stop her family...anything....
You'll like the idea with Emily, Mary...all of it.
It does make sense because since you started writing the Porgie Clan stories, she was the ONLY Smith girl to never appear or remain in the s… morehadows. It makes sense now, considering she had this evil plan all along.
It's sad she can't look past all this to see her Ffamily is happy
Her decision to take this into her own hands was indeed selfish. I hope Peter just lays it into her! I hope when she gets to Gren's apartment he joins Peter! And Georgie, seeing as he may still be there.
"Late. Again," Jersey's voice was terse; Ava had gotten used to his pissy moods, which happened to elevate whenever she strolled through the… more door.
"Sorry, man. But believe me when I tell you, I actually intended on getting to work on time today."
Jersey scoffed, turning his attention back to the dinosaur of a computer that sat on the glass counter at one end of the Pawn Shop. She had been begging him for months to switch over to a mac, or a nicer windows 8 computer, but nahhhh.
Jersey can't part with his beloved Bertha. What the hell kind of name was that? And for a computer that was older than time itself?
Ava figured he could have at least come up with something more badass. Like 'Graphical Ass Kicker' or 'The Pixel Destroyer'.
She pulled up her uncomfortable stool from behind the counter, and set it up near the front door. She would have been surprised if more than 5 people came today. There never was much activity at the Lu… [view original content]
Dewloren woke up in front of a nightclub around 7:37am with his glamour, still in tact. If you might ask, since Dewloren is a 200 year old drawf, he wears the glamour of a short middle aged man with red hair in a red and brown suit with a fancy Italian wrist watch ato go along with it. Oh and not to mention, gators on his feet.
"Oh... wow. Wow... those mundanes sure know how to party. I can only imagine what Wolven would say if he say me like this.." He thought to himself trying to get t up by pulling on the railings. He gets up and notices that his wallet is missing so he begins to panic. He then began to look around the desererted building and went over on the other side of the building he saw Wolven passed out by the dumpster and then he looks up in a nearby tree and see's Draco who is also passed out..
"What the fuck happened last night? ???!!" Dewloren screamed in utter confusion. He then walks over to Wolven and tries to wake him up. Wolven then mutters something in the process. "Nahh baby, I... I.. got time for three-" Then Dewloren smacks him thus walking up the drunken wolf.
"Ouuch!!! What the? Dewloren? Wha..what happened here?" Wolven looking around in confusion.
"I was going to ask the same thing too. Looks like we drunk alot and maybe even took a couple of mundy drugs too. What a.. delightful night." Dewloren looks at Draco who falls out of the tree and gets up and realize that something is wrong.
"Uhh, do I even.. need ask?" Draco looking at the two.
Whistling can be heard at the front door of the club. From the door, Marco emerged from the doorway holding wit a monkey on his shoulder. They are both having a drink.
"Hey! I was looking for you guys! Some party huh?!" Marco as he waves the bottle and the monkey on his shoulders does the same.
Dewloren , Wolven and Draco then looks at Marco and in unison, they all screamed "NOT AGAIN!
Unfortunately that is all for now, my little tribute to hanger over lol. Up next, Daren and Cinderella continues their mission to bring down the black market trafficker, Yony.
Awesome! Iactually had an idea about the pine trees; being as both are drunk, their senses are a BIT off the radar at the moment. I got an idea with it. xD Glad you like it so far!
AND I will have to agree with you on that....as if the anatomy pic wasn't enough.
This made me smirk so hard, you don't even know! XD Everything was perfect so far, besides the fact that I don't think Central Park has pine… more trees or a forest... regardless, keep it up!
P.S. - The MLP cast tattooed on Gren is surely something to be embarrassed of indeed! :P
"You're being ridiculous! I'm NOT the father of your baby!...." Hazel's soap operas chimed through the paper thin walls as Ava reentered her homestead. It was actually pretty early for her to be home, considering she was known for getting in well past her bed time. It was only 4 in the afternoon and she made Hazel jump when she opened the front door.
"Hey, Ma." Ava said, walking directly to the kitchen. She was starving.
Hazel raised her eyebrow,"I heard what happened at the Pawn. Some strangers burst through the window? Are you hurt?"
Ava let out a burp after polishing off the last of their nearly expired milk. There was a slightly off taste to it, but she didn't care. "It was nothing, Mom. No scratches. I was busy fixing Bertha."
"....Bertha?"
"His computer, Mom. C'mon, stay focused." Ava piled lunch meat onto stale rye bread and heated it in the microwave to bring it to life a little. She was lucky there wasn't any gross mold growing on either food items yet, so that meant they were technically still edible.
"Well, that sounds like an...ehem....odd predicament."
Ava looked past the kitchen doorway and stared directly at her mother. She still looked so young. She looked...
Not like a mother should look like.
Ava chomped into her sandwich, taking a seat on the beat up recliner that faced the southern most wall. In one direction was the TV, in the opposite was the couch and her mother.
Ava turned her head to her mother. She stared a moment, which Hazel hadn't quite noticed because her Soap Opera was about to reveal that Dan WAS in fact the father of the baby.
"Mom?" Ava said, setting her sandwich down on her plate.
"Mmm?....Oh I knew it!" Hazel yelled, as the TV blurted exactly what Ava had predicted.
"....Are you happy, Mom?"
Hazel froze, mid 'I knew it'-dance. She looked at her daughter with confusion mixed with an underlying sadness. "I..."
Ava stood, and placed her sandwich plate on the coffee table. "Seriously. Mom-..." How was she supposed to word this?
"No," Hazel said. "Ava, it's alright. My priority is with you and your brother. My happiness comes second."
"I really wish you wouldn't say that," Ava stammered. "Mom, I worry about you."
Hazel blinked her eyes, probably to stop tears from ultimately flowing. "And I worry about you. Sometimes I'm afraid you'll never come home one day. I figured you wanted space, but-...."
Ava smiled the weakest of smiles. "Mom, it's alright. You don't have to worry that I won't come home. I will. I just...I have someone watching my back."
Hazel raised her eyebrow, but didn't question further. She stood, asking,"Why the sudden interest, anyway?"
Ava shrugged. "Just thinking too much lately, is all. Just....be careful, Mom."
"And you too," Hazel replied. They hugged, probably the first time since Jackson had left the household over 3 months ago. Ava forgot how comforting her mother's smell was, and remembered that it was something she often searched for when she was little and was having her nightmares. Her and Jackson, both. She let go of Hazel, throwing out the remains of her sandwich and grabbing her cellphone from her tote bag.
She dialed Jackson's number, respectively.
Ring...
Ring...
"Hello?"
"Hey," Ava said into the receiver. She waltzed across the the kitchen's linoleum floor and stared out the fifth floor window at the street below. She could have sworn she saw the glint of that silver-white hair...
"How's it been, sis?" Jackson's voice was lower than she remembered. She sat in one of the kitchen chairs and twirled her long black hair in her fingers.
"I've been okay," She told him. It was partially true. Lately, she hadn't been as motivated as much to defy rules and hang out with crappy people. In fact, she almost felt as if life were at a stand-still...
"That's good. I've been....erm, peeling my future...Grandfather-in-law? Yeah, I suppose that's the term. Anyway, I've been peeling him off the ground because this family has a tendency to have a few too many drinks to welcome the New Year. You know?"
"Man, I could go for a drink," Ava muttered. "I just wanted to have a talk with you. For old time's sake."
Jackson laughed. "You know, I'll be back in Fabletown soon. Scar has another appointment since the due date is practically around the corner..." He said the last sentence with a slight sense of dread. "Man...I can't believe it's so close. I still need to put the crib together..."
Ava laughed, the kind of snorting pig laugh that she inherited from her mother.
"What? What did I say that was so funny?" Jackson asked.
"Nothing. You just sound like a typical Dad is all. Like, the dad we should have had."
"Gren was pretty fatherly to us growing up," Jackson admitted.
"Mmm, true," Ava had said. And it was. He was the same one-armed man who managed to help her learn to ride her bike and occasionally pushed her on the swings at the park if he was wandering that way. She always wanted a father, and although she never got one, the closest person to it would be Gren. "But you knew what I meant. I'm talking about our real father. I want to know who he was-"
"No," Jackson said.
"What?"
"Stop looking. You'll find nothing you want to know."
"And how do you know?" Ava was slightly irritated that her brother did not share the same opinion as her.
"I don't," He said. "And I'm happy I never will. What kind of dad screws a girl and leaves her to the dust?"
Ava choked a bitter laugh. "Did you just say that? You nearly made that decision yourself, it doesn't seem as easy as you're putting it."
"I made mistakes! But now I realize that I was wrong!"
"And what if our father made those same mistakes? What if he regrets his decisions?"
"He obviously doesn't, or else he would be here. Wouldn't he?"
Ava could not think of anything to say back to him. She just sighed, extra loud so he could hear her. "I have to go. There's a party-...Crazy Pete-"
"That weird werewolf guy from the subway?"
"Yeah....He invited me to a party. Tons of fun with Fables and some mundies-"
"Probably should report that shit to Mary."
"What? None of them know we're Fables-...God, since when did you become such a goddamn killjoy?"
Jackson grumbled on the other side of the phone. "I'm not a killjoy! I'm just...." She heard him sigh. "I need to go. I have have lunch with the in-laws."
"Have fun, killjoy," She tried to put as much hurt into the word as she could. But the phone had already hung up. She tossed it on the counter, not caring if the screen cracked or not. She picked her bag up, zipped her jacket, and was out of the apartment in probably 5 seconds flat.
So I'm combining my challenge with this new story ^-^ This is actually really fun to write! Tell me what you think in the comments below Any questions, I'll answer!
Gren took advantage. The apartment was left for his own entertainment purposes. He searched Robert's CD collection and didn't find the 'right' tune. His ipod was no good as well and Gren decided to search the internet. He had heard of this youtube; mundies would post hillarious, crude or just plan random videos of the strangest things.
He used it for the variety of mucis radios or itunes did not have. He typed in a name and before he knew it, the living room was filled with the angelic singer's voice.
'Come on over, come on over baby. Come on over, come on over baby.'
Gren grabbed a pillow, threw himself on the couch and was taken away in the mind of his own imagination. Gren was secretly a Christina Aguilera fan; he'd never tell anyone this, not even Robert, due to losing his tough interior and 'bad boy' reputation. He, however, had his moment of weakness and THIS was it.
'All I want is you-come on over, come on over baby.'
Gren grabbed the remote and flipped through the channels. Nothing. NEVER anything worth watching on the weekends except for reruns.
"Boring." Gren turns the television off and tosses the remote to the side. "Man...Robert has NOTHING to do! How the hell can Lyla STAND coming over here?"
Gren's moment of peace would end; Robert and Lyla, slamming the door behind them, quickly locked the door and ran to the kitchen.
"Damn. THAT hungry." Gren peered over the couch. "Smells good. Did you get me-"
"John is out there."
"Who?"
Lyla paced around the living room. She was sweating around her brow and heart thumping widly inside her chest.
"MY DAD!"
"Here!?" Gren rushed up from his seat. "SHIT-means that posse of his ain't to fucking far, neither!"
"Calm down, Gren!" Robert looks outside the window. "We picked up his scent and-"
"You nuts!?" Gren grabs Lyla's arm. "He's here for HER-give Lyla back and-"
"Let go, Gren! You're hurting my arm!"
"Everybody relax!" Robert slams his fist down on the counter. It causes the paper bag and salt shaker to bounce. "Just....shut the fuck up for a minute."
Gren begins to panic; Lyla can see his glamour slowly fade, as his gray skin and spikes show through. Fear and anger made Gren's glamour fade like paper in water-sturdy but easily fell to pieces in your hand.
"He's going to fucking take us away, man! I just fucking know it, Robert! He's...he's going to take us away and we are finished! That's it!"
Before Robert could responde to Gren, there was a trembling knock at the door. All three stood in their place and waited. Seemed like the only thing possible at that moment. Robert and Lyla held each other's hands; Lyla, nervous as it was, was begining to feel ill and needed the restroom.
Again, another thunderous knock. "Robert Grendel-I know this is your apartment. Can't mask that Grendel smell, boy."
"Go away, Wolf!" Gren tosses a bottle at the door. It shatters. "She's not fucking here!"
"Gren?" John seems surprised. "Just give me Lyla and I'll go-"
"No!" Robert held Lyla back, as if John was right in front of him. "She's not going anywhere, John! She didn't do anything wrong!"
"Robert, please-we have rules and regulations to follow! You boys can get into serious trouble if the Council-"
"Council can suck my left testicle, sir! You're NOT taking Lyla!"
They all heard John sigh heavily. "Robert, please-I understand your feelings and I'm sorry. I truly am but Lyla NEEDS to return home."
"I said NO, John!" Lyla was shocked by Robert's forceful behavior. "No..."
Lyla, now pressed against his chest, the very familiar growl of a Grendel: deep, powerful and intimidating. Robert's glamour, too, was fading away; soon, he would be a mighty beast, with rage filled feelings for the man outside the door. Lyla looked around and noticed Gren. For once, he seemed worried and fearful. He was stuck between a tough decision. His brother or freedom.
Lyla's fingers touched the nubs forming along his spine and shoulders. Soon they would be piercing weapons and dangerous assets. Robert's teeth began changing into sharp fangs and his jaw expanding. Robert was prepared for battle and fight for Lyla. Usually, a female would be pleased by their choice of honor and showcase of affection. But Lyla knew better and only blood shed would come from this.
"Robert, stop-"
"Open the door, Gren." His command felt like ice pricking her skin. "Now..."
Gren obeyed his brother and soon, John was standing under the doorway and a few feet from his daughter. Trembling, Lyla whispered to forgive her foolish father and leave the old Wolf be; her father was a proud and powerful Wolf but his age was beginning to show. His chestnut hair turning gray, lines forming around his lips and strength slowly decaying.
John, however, stood very still. His fist clentched, snarling lips and eyes changing. Hair formed along his arms and jaw. Gren backed into a nearby corner; this was not his fight and refused to participate. The less, the better.
"Robert, no!" Lyla begged the now changed man. "PLEASE! We don't have to do this!"
"Move sweetie..." Nearly whispering his demands, Robert walked forward.
John remained very still. "Robert, I don't want to fight you. Just give me Lyla and we can all forget this ordeal."
"The Council has no right keeping her away from me."
"Yes they do, Robert. You KNOW the rules. I'm sorry but I must stand my ground and remain-"
"A Puppet on a string, John, because that's what you are right now."
John began to breath heavily, as the beasts circle the tiny apartment. Another male, an Alpha according to Robert's stature, was challenging him. With Wolves, it was simple: he was in charge of his pack, his female and their offspring. He was ranked higher than any other member in the community, beside a handful before him. He was responsible for the safety and well being of his pack. Now, one was in danger.
"Robert....I'm giving you ONE last chance-GIVE me Lyla."
Lyla stood in front of the men. "I'll go, I'll go! Daddy, please-robert, just stop now! You CAN'T win this!"
John was particulary fast and quick on his toes. He could hear Robert's breathing, the grinding of his teeth; Robert, too, had to rely on his senses and heard the rippling of John's movement. He was battling. No other option.
Robert crouches to the ground, his face turned at John. John snapped at Robert, trying to latch his teeth into Robert's neck. Robert nearly avoided this attack. His lips were pulled back, fangs bared and eyes threatning. The snapping continued. Robert lunged at John, now in full Wolf form.
"DADDY, no! ROBERT!"
Gren was alarmed to see his brother decide on violence. He noticed the mark and it made sense. Although Lyla did not feel or comprehend his feelings, Robert was simply fighting for his mate and his right as an Alpha. Robert pins John against the floor. His claws swing and plunge deep into John's shoulder. The beast yelps in severe pain. The red liquid pours from the wound and onto the floor.
The intense copper smell seemd to trigger Robert's rage and before John was on his feet, Robert charges into the Wolf and plants his forehead into the rib cage. John rolls to the other side of the room. Standing back up, John glares at Robert.
"Robert...I'm going to warn you ONE last time..."
"I already made up my mind!"
It felt like a slow motion moment in a movie. Lyla and Gren watched their beloved family members ready to lock and fight until the bitter end. John's mighty paws lifted up from the ground, dark claws extended and ready to dig into flesh and bone. Robert, a towering gray beast with spikes and determination, charged at John, claws ready and the taste of blood consuming his logic.
Lyla knew there was only one thing to do at that moment.
"Gren, we have to stop them!"
"You're fucking insane, Lyla!"
"If we don't, they'll kill each other! NOW!"
Gren huffs. "Fine but you fucking owe me, Smith."
As they reach number three, Gren and Lyla ran in front of their loved ones. Lyla had her arms up, while Gren used his body as a wall.
"DADDY STOP!"
John and Robert came to a screeching hault. "LYLA!" John barked her name. "Get out of the way!"
"NO!" Lyla pushes her father back. "I said stop! This is foolish and you know better! What Alpha does this? Shame on you!"
With his tail between his legs, John cowers in the corner. Although Lyla was not his alpah female, she was still an important member to his pack. Robert, too, was controlled by Gren's strength and agility. Still in his true form, Gren wrestles his brother to the ground.
"You need to fucking relax, Robert! The fuck is wrong with you!?"
That sun symbol. The marking.
"Gren-"
"Snap out of it, Robert! I'm not going to have you either tossed to the Farm or handed over to the Folkers. CALM DOWN!"
John and Robert returned to their human forms. Each took a minute to clean their wounds. Neither one of them said a word. Lyla only grabbed John's arm and walked out the door. She said nothing. Not one word.
"Lyla-" Robert tried reaching for Lyla. "Come back! Come back!"
"Stop, Robert. Put your hand down...let her go."
Gren's words caused Robert to heave over and fall into sorrow. The mark on his arm burned like the sun on his bare skin. It stung and caused his mind to spin. He didn't mean to lose control like that. He was only trying to defend his mate. Why couldn't she see that?
Lyla never returned; she and John, still bleeding around his neck, were headed home. They'd have a lot to explain to the Council. John remained inaudible the further they drove towards the Manor. Lyla watched as Fabletown and Robert vanished into a line of lights and skyscrapers.
Lyla's heart was heavy. She knew what had to be done. ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
Any questions or comments, please leave them below! I enjoy hearing your remarks and such! Oh Alphas and their egos. XD
Makoto woke up got dressed and headed out, he was pissed off due to the fact that not only was his technical mother was dead but he couldn't listen to music anymore because his headphones broke. But while he was walking down the hall his real mother Naoto, walked to visit him.
"Naoto? What're you doing here?" Makoto asked, he was confused at this point she had abandoned him and was at the farm.
"What do you mean Makoto? I always come by in the morning unless I get called in for work." She explained "Oh here is a new pair of headphones by the way." Handing him the gift. "I hope you like them! I had the company make one more of this type of headphones."
They were really weird, the left side was shorter than the right...
"Here. The right side is going to go around the back of your neck and the rest should be self explanatory, you don't even have to unplug them you just take them off and put them on your chest." She explained.
Makoto hugged her "Thanks mom."
"You know I hate titles like that....but I'll let it slide" she smiled and hugged back. "Do you want to take about Rose?" She asked
"I...." He hesitated but then reassured himself "Yeah sure."
That made her happy, they walked down the hallway and bumped into Snow. They chatted and she tagged along to reminisce with them.
"You know she smiled but she truly smiled when you were with her Makoto." Snow said
"You think?" He replied
"Of course." Naoto said continuing "I think that's how it's been for all of us when you were growing up."
"Agreed." Snow said "You reminded me of little TJ before he and his father were killed...I still have the bug he gave me." She frowned
"I'm sorry Snow." Makoto said
They talked for what seemed hours as it was now evening. Naoto and Snow went back to work while Makoto went out. When he left the woodlands he threw on his new headphones and listened to Burn My Dread by Yumi Kawamura. WhIle walking the streets even after talking about Rose he still felt sad and depression. So he decided he would find the killer himself. WhIle walking down the street he saw Detective Clara looked happy and satisfied, Makoto just looked away.
As Makoto thought he found a great place to start, the Trip Trap. So he walked over to the bar thankfully not having many customers. When he walked in it was Gren and a handful of other guys with Molly running the bar. Gren looked over and saw Makoto.
"Hey kid! C'mon over and have a seat!" He smiled.
It was weird, when Makoto last saw Gren he had attacked him in an alley, but he sat down anyways.
"Hey Gren, say you know what Rose was doing the night she was killed?" Makoto asked
"She was throwing a big party with a bunch of mundys." Gren said.
Makoto made a mental note of that and asked the man next to Gren.
"Nope I just got here yesterday." The man said.
"C'mon Ross quit being so uptight and relax!" Gren said.
"Sorry, Cops always give me chills." Ross said "they always think I've done something stupid."
Gren and Ross started getting off topic so Makoto decided to leave.
It was now nighttime and he was at the gate of the woodlands when he saw someone out of the corner of his eye. She was hiding in the bushes.
He crossed his arms "You better get off the lawn, Snow will kill you."
"I am sorry." The woman said, but she sounded like a robot.
He was about to speak but she dashed off before he could say a single word. He just shook his head and went up to his room to sleep it off.
Somewhere else.
"Things are starting to pick up around here...that stupid bitch I wanted to raise him but they just insisted on it being the four of them. Oh well! I win in the end. I just need to tie off some loose ends." She smirked and chuckled......
That's it! Sorry I had to do one that was sort of not continuing much. I have to get my wisdom teeth out tomorrow so I didn't want to start with the super important stuff and not do anything on it just in case I'm out for like four days in excruciating pain XD. Any questions or comments let me know! also I put some hints in as to who may have killed Rose, and also references to the wolf among us and my older stories as well one more thing if you a wondering about the headphones that Makoto gets they are ATH-EQ300M headphones they are pretty awesome. I got them when Persona 3 came out which sorta advertised the headphones sigh oh Sony, anyways yup I think that just about sums it up! XD apologies again!
"How about this one? It's a lovely townhome with four bedrooms and three bathrooms. A very spacious backyard with plenty of room to hold family functions or let the little ones play."
A tall brunette woman with a clipboard held her hands out in the direction of a semi-new house. Gren and Emily examined the area and home. Since their house hunting began a week ago, this was number thirteen. Gren had no idea Emily was a picky person and had a knack for scouting out the littlest imperfections.
He couldn't blame her. She was now three months pregnant and rapidly growing.
"How safe is this bloody place?"
"Oh very!" The cheery real estate agent leaned against the 'for sale' sign. "This is a very secure neighborhood with friendly neighbors and everyone involved in-"
"Don't bloody like it."
"What?" The Agent seemed muddled. "You don't like what, ma'am?"
"People gettin' into me business."
"Well, uh-" She began to chew on the tip of her pen. "What I meant to say was, the neighbors like to look out for one another, you see."
Gren tries to reassure Emily. "Tha'ts actually not a bad idea, Emily. We want the kids to be safe and trust those-"
"Nope." Emily waddled away from Gren and the Agent. "I bloody said no, so NO it is!"
Gren sighed. He critically needed a place to call home and fast; six months goes by awfully quick and he wanted to settle in and set up the nursery before the time came for the little ones.
"I appreciate the look. We'll call you if anything changes."
Handing Gren her business card, the Agent leaves. Gren enters the truck and starts the engine. Looking over, Emily rubs her feet and ankles.
Gren pulled out of the parking space and returned to the blacktop streets of Fabletown. The sun was high above the truck. With the windows down, a gentle gust of wind blew in and helped cool off the two passengers inside the vehicle. It was warming up and fast.
Gren reaches over to grab Emily's hand. "Don't worry, sweetie. We'll find a place."
Emily grinned and looked outside the window. The smell of grease and baked goods was making her hungry. It caused one of the babies to move inside, causing emily some discomfort. Sit still, she thought. Not just yet. Give mommy a chance to relax.
"You hungry?"
Emily paused to think about that answer. She was indeed hungry; starving, if she could use that to describe her current state and thought what sounded delicious. Lately she was a burger and fry kind of gal with the occasional fish. Last night, the babies demanded fish and Emily sent Gren to the store. He brought her three pounds of Salmon, Scallops and some Crab legs.
Today, she was in a burger mood. "Yes. I am fookin' hungry."
"What are you in the mood for?"
"Mcdonald's. A Big Mac with extra sauce and Pickles..."
Gren pulled into the nearest Mcdonald's drive thru. He was behind three other vehicles. Scanning the menu, he noticed Emily's hand rubbing the side of her belly. He placed his right hand in the middle and swore he felt a tiny kick. I three days he was going to find out not only the sex but the types Emily was carrying.
Rosie wanted to attend the appointment as well. Emily couldn't say no. Gren knew she was coming by later for a visit, so her ordered some extra food just in case.
"Make sure they put extra sauce and Pickles on mine."
"You got it, Ems."
"Lots of ketchup. And Sweet n' Sour sauce."
Gren looks over at Emily. "You have to get Nuggets if you want the sauce."
"Since when the fook did ya' HAVe ta' buy bloody chicken fookin' nuggets?!"
"For awhile now. If not, they charge you-"
Emily was in dire need for her sweet and tangy fix. If it wasn't grease, the babies wanted sweet, sour or tangy. The other day she sat on the couch, sucking a Lemon and eating Honey with a spoon. Pregnancy was an odd experience for Emily.
"Fine...get me the sauce regardless. These little fookas' need their fix."
Gren pulls up to the machine and orders their meal: Two Big Macs for Emily with extra sauce and Pickles, large fry and coke. Two Mcdoubles, no onion, large fry and Dr. Pepper for Gren and three McChickens if Rosie decided to have a snack during her visit. Gren paid for their meal, handed the bags to Emily and headed back to the apartment.
The aroma of salt and grease left Emily's mouth watering and her fingers slowly creeping to the bag. The fries were calling her name but before she could react on her sodium fix, they arrived to the apartment. Gren assisted Emily with the food and carefully walked up the stairs. Twice Emily had to pause and catch her breath.
"Ya' think they'd fookin' fix that bloody elevator by now."
"I've asked the landlord. I'll call in the morning again and see what's up."
"Ugh. Me bloody back and ankles hurt."
Walking up the steps, Gren uses his free hand to rub Emily's shoulders and back. The other night, she had a difficult time sleeping. Hopefully tonight would be better. Gren opened the door and placed the food on the counter. Emily grabbed one of the bags and tore into it.
"Your burgers should be in little boxes-"
Before he could finish, Emily was on the couch. Her feet propped up with three pillows and an enormous body pillow behind her. Emily licked her lips and opened the top.
"OHHH fook...this is heaven in me bloody hands."
Emily lifted the bun to inspect her burger.
"Thos mutha' fuckas'!"
Gren took a bite from his burger. "What is it-"
"They....forgot...me bloody FOOKIN' Pickles!"
Gren became fearful. Emily was a vicious creature when it came to food but now feeding four more mouths, it tripled.
"No it should be! You heard me-"
"I KNOW, I was fookin' there..."
"We have Pickles in the fridge. I can cut you up some and-"
"It's not the fookin' SAME, Gren!"
"Alright, alright-just hand me the burger and-"
"Did they at LEAST give me the sauce?"
Gren tosses three packets in her direction. "Yup. Sweet n' Sour, just how you like it."
Emily leanes into the couch and left it at that. Gren sighed heavily and continued to eat.
"Woot time is Rosie coming by?"
"In three hours."
"My brothers MIGHT come by?"
"Peter and Ethan?"
"AND Junior. Mary, too. Guess I'm the flavor of the month in this town-Emily Porgie is pregnant?! GASP!"
"Well, you can't blame them, sweetie."
Emily leaned forward and grabbed her phone. Flipping through the real estate websites, she looked at different homes in the Fabletown community. Bigby offered to help build a home; Peter, Ethan, her father and even her grandfather felt open air and sunshine would be good for the babies. Emily would make that decision in time.
"We're in fookin trouble if one of these little shits are a YOU, Gren."
Gren chuckled, dipping his fry into ketchup. "Well, is your belly hard anywhere?"
It was. While in the shower that morning, she noticed a lump and hard spot around her pelvis bone. One so far.
"Right here."
"We got a Grendel."
Emily laughs. "Could be just gas, ya' know."
Gren, finished with his food, kisses Emily's head as he heads kitchen to toss his trash away. He did not notice the Georgie look alike or Mary sitting in the room next to the kitchen. Mary could not hold it back. Tossing a shoe in his direction, Gren looks over.
"The fuck? How did you-"
"What is it, love? Emily tries to peek over. "What do you-"
"It's your brother and he brought his pet."
Mary flips Gren off and punches the arm with the scar left by Beowulf.
"Go back to your swamp, Grendel."
Mary plops down beside Emily and rubs her belly.
"DAMN, girl-look at you!"
"Where are the kids?"
"I have a long time friend watching them for us. Junior and I wanted to stop and see these little bundles of joy."
"Well, 'ere they are. Right were Gren left em'."
Junior pretends to gag. "You find out their gender in a week?"
"Three days, actually."
Mary continues to rub. "Got any names?"
"We actually do." Gren pulls out his phone. "For a boy, depending on how many, we were going with Liam, Miles, Caleb or Ryder and for the girls, Chloe, Alessana, Arabella and Seraphina."
"Wow. Those names, Gren."
Junior pats Emily's knee. "I like em'. Unique like we are."
But the celebration had to come to a pause; Emily needed to pee and was having a difficult time getting up and moving to the bathroom. Luckily, Gren was on his feet and ready to take Emily. Sitting on the toilet, she leaned back and sighed.
"UHHHHH FOOOOOK YEEEEEEEES!"
Gren laughs. "You're too much, Ems. I love you, though."
Her moments of alone time using the restroom were dwendling down. Soon, she'd have four little mischevious babies following her and exploring every crevice they could find.
Bring it.
Can't....sleep....damn you...any questions, you know the drill. Going to focus on Emily for a bit. Too excited about her pregnancy and want to have fun with this. Plus, an excuse to draw pregnant Emily and all their babies.
"Shit!" Lyall swore, quickly crawling through the air vents, the occasional silver bullet nearly striking him as Scarlett fired bullet after bullet. Where the hell does one get so many silver bullets? Do they sell them for a dollar dozen at the market?!
"Come out and face me Wolf!" Scarlett screamed. "There's no escape!"
As quick as he could Lyall crawled through the vent, barely ahead of the gunshots trailing behind him. His heart raced, palms grew sweaty, his hands shook. Fuck... as if Scarlett wasn't enough throw a building full of succubus and incubuses, charming, beautiful, smart and could allure anyone and certainly knows what it takes it get into your pants. Flora scents of roses and violets filled his nose, he clenched his jaw and continued to quickly crawl through the vents. Why must scent be an easy way to tempt him? He blamed it on his father's side, wolves or any canine for that matter had such a keen and powerful sense of smell... and that most certainly didn't help him now.
The flowery scent was getting to him, his head was pounding, temptation grew with each second.
"Damn it!" he swore covering his nose with his hand. Scrambling down the vent until...
CRASH!
Well it certainly proved he underestimated just how worn down this building really was. Maybe he should had paid attention to the cracks among the ceilings and walls and the rust in the vents. 'Take the vents they said...' he thought angrily. 'Scarlett will never see you coming they said.'
He as well as a few bits of ceiling and metal scrapes of the vent came tumbling harshly onto the ground. On the bright side the flora scent faded, bad news was the ever so familiar scent of vanilla and sickening silver filled the air. Scarlett stood before him, arms crossed, gun in her right hand,her lips pursed as she looked at him. Like Lyall was gum she discovered to be sticked underneath her desk.
"Any last words?" she sneered, giving the chambers of her gun a playful twirl.
"Ah.... Did it hurt when you fell from heaven?" he shrugged.
Scarlett frowned and aimed her gun at his head. Lyall ducked just in the nick of time to miss the bullet before scrambling to his feet and dashing off down the vast and seemingly endless hallways of the building.
Clenching her fist Scarlett turned to the creatures who now just caught up with her.
"Get him!" she ordered and then the chase was on.
XXX
Damn it, damn it, damn it! How dare Lyall even have the nerve show the mug of his face around here. How dare he! Scarlett already had his murder perfectly written in her head, and it most certainly did not play out with him making the first move and being a sneaky little. Her idea of the perfect death and revenge included a straight up fight, no glamour or silly spells, true form, and no holding back. But of course karma was never on her blasted side... Throwing her longing for the perfect revenge aside she just wanted things to go her way for once, according to plan or not.
She ran down the hallways, kicking down locked doors in search of Lyall. This fucking Wolf, if she wasn't the death of him she swear to the heavens he would be the death of her. Kicking down a fourth door to once again reveal an empty office yet again.
"Fucking hell..." she grumbled, her ears picked up on an extra sound of footsteps slip pass down sit her hallway. "Got you now Wolfie." she whispered her herself, a cocky smirk on her lips as she ran down the opposite hallway to a mirror, one of the few that lingered in the building since her arrival. Anywhere Lyall could go she could be there faster. She reached out to the mirror's reflective surface, ready to pull herself through and face Lyall without all this stealth business.
Thump!
It took her moment to process what had happened. Rubbing the spot where she slammed her face against the mirror... wait a second slammed?! That wasn't supposed to happen! What was suppose to happen was that she could easily pull herself through with ease! She pressed her hand against the mirror, trying to enter... but at last nothing.
"For fucks sake!" she hissed now banging her fist against the mirror,Still no entrance. "What the hell?!"
"Er... Miss Scarlett?" a succubus timidly approached her. "I... I found this while searching a room." she handed her a small yellow sticky note.
Dear Scarlett,
Thanks for the files.
From Lyall.
Ps : The fake mirrors are a gift from my Dad Bigby Wolf.
She crumpled the note in her grip before throwing on the ground harshly, bringing her boot down to further damage the message Lyall left her. How dare he play her as a fool!
"I will know revenge, I AM REVENGE!" she shook her fist at the fake mirror before her. "I will destroy you Lyall Wolf, mark my words you revolting piece of scrum!" she cried in frustration.
XXX
"You think she's mad?" Bigby joked lighting up a cigarette as the taxi driver drove them down the streets.
"That we broke in the building and stoled a few files?" Lyall smirked. "I would certainly hope so, or else it's no fun." he handed the file to his dad. "Said something bout an upcoming snake and art buying event, sounds illegal and the date is pretty damn close... Figured that's where we're find Medusa next."
"Think Scarlett's gonna be there too?"
"I'll be damned if she isn't." Lyall rested his chin on his palm. "Why would Medusa even go to these things? She knows we're looking for her."
"Seems to me that she sees this as a game, and wants us to play...we ain't got any other leads, and knowing what a network Medusa has that HQ we visited is already being rearranged elsewhere...it's all we go and it's all we have to go on. You feeling up to it?" Bigby asked.
"Damn right I am, besides Scarlett would be upset if I wasn't." he mused coolly. "And I don't intend to disappoint her."
XXX
"Remember, dab don't wipe." Mouse informed bringing a wet cloth to a beige blazer, the greasy bean stain soon started to fade.
"Woman you are a lifesaver." Bradwr mused. "Now if only you had a burrito on you...do you?"
"No sorry... I have carrot sticks in my purse though."
"I'll pass, too healthy."
"I brought dinner." Bonnie declared, entering the room carrying a few boxes of Chinese takeout. "Figured you could use a little pick me up." she said handing a box to Bradwr.
"And this night takes a turn for the better." Bradwr chuckled happily.
"I would say you damn well earned it." Bonnie opened the box and happily helped herself to a chicken ball. "You adjusting to being around here okay?"
"Okay? This is fucking awesome." Bradwr said through a mouthful of rice. "There's so many Fables, like more then I can count, and that's pretty damn high."
"Didn't you get to socialize when you were with..." Bonnie paused, unsure how to word it correctly, without offending or bring up personal matters.
"Nah, we normally had to lay low." Bradwr replied. "Only time we really got to go out was when I sneaked off in the middle of the night, and most of the Fables and Mundies still up at that time ain't really looking for friendship. Just some handsome stranger to pay for their drinks." he ate another mouthful of rice. "Least it was something..."
"But your an adult now-"
"Or as my ex-wife liked to put it a child with a drinking permit." he interrupted.
"Why didn't you just leave?" Bonnie asked
Bradwr sighed, a shrug of his shoulders as he swallowed. "That's the thing Bons, I didn't know how. Had no job, no money, only thing keeping us alive was my dad and Medusa dropping it. That snake lady always liked Scarlett, gave her the finer things in life. Jewelry, clothing, sweets, wine, and whatever else she felt like Scarlett "needed". She was okay with, though she could survive on her own, she certainly has the brains."
"Oh...that's awful, I'm sorry." Mouse said.
"Nah, don't be. Ain't my problem now..." he tapped his chin. "Ya know... Maybe when this is over I'll stick around, this side of Fabletown is growing on me. I can see myself staying here for a long time."
Bonnie offered him a friendly smile. "I'm glad to hear that."
"Gotta get a job though...." he furrowed his brow in frustration. "Maybe I'll get into mechanics, fixing up cars and that shit. If Dad had some car that was basically junk he would let me dick around with it, pretty fun. I actually almost fixed one before it went in flames." he chuckled recalling such fond memories.
He was about to tell the other women about another story of his misadventures when it comes to messing around with cars, until the door opened. Revealing Bigby and Lyall.
"You're back." Mouse said looking at the father and son duo. "Are you two okay?"
"Scrapes and bruises but that's about it." Lyall informed plopping himself down in a chair. "Nothing a cigarette and a shot of whiskey can't cure." he looked at Bradwr. "Did I miss anything?"
"I just learned not to eat a burrito in the office."
"Good for you." Lyall replied.
"You found anything in that place?" Bonnie asked.
"Just that Medusa is planning to attend another one of her illegal parties." Bigby said then raised an eyebrow at Bonnie and Mouse. "What are you two even doing here?"
"I got bored and called Bonnie, and Mouse knew how to remove grease stains." Bradwr stated.
"I...I should be going..." she got up.
"Nonsense, stay. Bradwr most likely blabbed everything to you anyway." Lyall huffed.
"You know me so well." Bradwr mused happily. "It's like we're soulmates."
"Don't get your hopes up." he scoffed.
"Don't worry, your not what I'm looking for in a lover."
"Considering what happened to your last one I'm going to count myself as lucky." Lyall lit up a cigarette. "So, tomorrow night we attend that party, eat their food and try to arrest Medusa?"
"Only problem is how we're getting in their unnoticed." Bigby stated.
"Oh that's easy, wear a mask!" Bradwr informed as he chewed an egg roll. "Medusa's usually buying from the artsy fartsy kind of crowd. Slip on a mask and you're get in their unnoticed long as you don't draw attention to yourself."
"Now there's just a matter of getting tickets to get in..." Bigby rested his chin in his palm. "Don't suppose any of you are good at forging?"
"Oh I can!" Mouse's hand shot up.
"Wait... how can you..." Lyall started to ask. "Never mind I don't want to know."
XXX
And there we go, third part is done! Not much to say.
Should have the next chapter up soon, I'm really looking forward to it.
I liked Peter and Ethan but well....I already said it in the PM.
Emily being rather picky is very interesting to see, consider her personality before the babies. Her turning down every home made me chuckle. Then her cravings; lemons, honey and grease. Waiting for her to do something weird like sauerkraut on pizza. XD
And Rosie. so glad she stuck around and is excited about her siblings. Those are indeed unique names; Seraphina is the fav from the girls side and Liam from the boys. Excited to see the genders and how many here are!
And Mary. And Junior. XD loves these two. Looking forward to more. Emily is going to have an interesting pregnancy.
"How about this one? It's a lovely townhome with four bedrooms and three bathrooms. A very spacious backyard with plenty of room to hold fam… moreily functions or let the little ones play."
A tall brunette woman with a clipboard held her hands out in the direction of a semi-new house. Gren and Emily examined the area and home. Since their house hunting began a week ago, this was number thirteen. Gren had no idea Emily was a picky person and had a knack for scouting out the littlest imperfections.
He couldn't blame her. She was now three months pregnant and rapidly growing.
"How safe is this bloody place?"
"Oh very!" The cheery real estate agent leaned against the 'for sale' sign. "This is a very secure neighborhood with friendly neighbors and everyone involved in-"
"Don't bloody like it."
"What?" The Agent seemed muddled. "You don't like what, ma'am?"
"People gettin' into me business."
"Well, uh-" She began to chew on the ti… [view original content]
"How about this one? It's a lovely townhome with four bedrooms and three bathrooms. A very spacious backyard with plenty of room to hold fam… moreily functions or let the little ones play."
A tall brunette woman with a clipboard held her hands out in the direction of a semi-new house. Gren and Emily examined the area and home. Since their house hunting began a week ago, this was number thirteen. Gren had no idea Emily was a picky person and had a knack for scouting out the littlest imperfections.
He couldn't blame her. She was now three months pregnant and rapidly growing.
"How safe is this bloody place?"
"Oh very!" The cheery real estate agent leaned against the 'for sale' sign. "This is a very secure neighborhood with friendly neighbors and everyone involved in-"
"Don't bloody like it."
"What?" The Agent seemed muddled. "You don't like what, ma'am?"
"People gettin' into me business."
"Well, uh-" She began to chew on the ti… [view original content]
LOL @ Crazy Pete from the subway. This was a very interesting mix of wit and sadness. I adored this chapter, and Bertha too. I know I won't be forgetting that one for a while. XD
"You're being ridiculous! I'm NOT the father of your baby!...." Hazel's soap operas chimed through the paper thin walls as Ava reentered her… more homestead. It was actually pretty early for her to be home, considering she was known for getting in well past her bed time. It was only 4 in the afternoon and she made Hazel jump when she opened the front door.
"Hey, Ma." Ava said, walking directly to the kitchen. She was starving.
Hazel raised her eyebrow,"I heard what happened at the Pawn. Some strangers burst through the window? Are you hurt?"
Ava let out a burp after polishing off the last of their nearly expired milk. There was a slightly off taste to it, but she didn't care. "It was nothing, Mom. No scratches. I was busy fixing Bertha."
"....Bertha?"
"His computer, Mom. C'mon, stay focused." Ava piled lunch meat onto stale rye bread and heated it in the microwave to bring it to life a little. She was lucky there wasn't any gross mol… [view original content]
Georgie's got a real look in his eyes on that bottom left panel of the last page - it's very eye-catching (pardon the pun, so to speak). Also, I like how the only colour in these is the red streak in Mary's hair, the red of Junior's vest and the mark on his back, as it ties the two character's together visually. Emily taking one for her brother is really kind of her! She's definitely one you want to have in your corner, is that Emily.
It appears to be your birthday! So, Happy Birthday!! Have a great one.
Porgie Clan Pages I THINK 11, 12, 13 & 14
Any questions, you know the drill. JUST got home and I'm wired! FINALLY finished… more the last few pages this morning while on break. It won't stay on Junior like this for very long; Mary always seems to cause tension and it explains how these two finally were allowed to see one another without Georgie OR Lyla going nuts like this. xD
I had a comment from a reader over at DA that she was pleased to see Georgie remain in character; he has that look in his eyes, no matter what mood he's in. As Lyla calls it, the 'Porgie' look; something Emily, Junior and Penelope seem to do very well. I'm still low on flesh tones and my fiancee made the same comment while I inked these up. The red and black gives the pages a little something extra.
And Emily was always one to look out for her siblings and family. Very loyal. Also, thank you for the birthday wishes. I plan on having a wonderful time; fiancee has a day planned for me (won't say WHAT) so have that to look forward to.
Georgie's got a real look in his eyes on that bottom left panel of the last page - it's very eye-catching (pardon the pun, so to speak). Als… moreo, I like how the only colour in these is the red streak in Mary's hair, the red of Junior's vest and the mark on his back, as it ties the two character's together visually. Emily taking one for her brother is really kind of her! She's definitely one you want to have in your corner, is that Emily.
It appears to be your birthday! So, Happy Birthday!! Have a great one.
BM will be around a lot in these chapters, seeing as Gren and Emily made her the godmother to one of the kids. And my Fables ARE huge fans of McDonalds....and Burger King....and anything hamburger related. xD
Nice to see B.M. making a comeback after all these chapters. XD And damn your Fables going to Mickey D's every single time it seems like. :P
EDIT: And Happy B-day!
I took what you said into consideration; I do need to write more 'cheerful' stories and this will give me a great excuse. Plus, Emily pregnant....:D
You wouldn't think so but Emily is rather picky when it comes to certain things. Homes being one of them. She better hurry, thou, because those babies are coming soon! Also, I never wanted to get rid of Rosie. The boys have choosen to ignore Gren but not her. She loves Gren, despite him not being the biological father. I too enjoy Seraphina.
Like I mentioned to Dragon, BM will be around a lot more, considering they named her the godmother to one of the babies.
I liked Peter and Ethan but well....I already said it in the PM.
Emily being rather picky is very interesting to see, consider her perso… morenality before the babies. Her turning down every home made me chuckle. Then her cravings; lemons, honey and grease. Waiting for her to do something weird like sauerkraut on pizza. XD
And Rosie. so glad she stuck around and is excited about her siblings. Those are indeed unique names; Seraphina is the fav from the girls side and Liam from the boys. Excited to see the genders and how many here are!
And Mary. And Junior. XD loves these two. Looking forward to more. Emily is going to have an interesting pregnancy.
Also, Happy Birthday!!
Junior and Mary stayed for a few more minutes before leaving the apartment the very same way the came in: through the mirror. Gren stood before the large mirror hanging in their bedroom.
"I should REALLY cover that damn thing up."
Emily sprawled out on the couch. She took the remainder of her fries and dipped them in ketchup. To her, McDonald's had THE best tasting ketchup in the entire universe. Hands down. No competition. Vivian sat on the edge.
"Want one?"
"You know I can't eat, Emily."
Emily chuckles. "Ya' wanna sniff it at least?"
Gren walks into the living room, notepad and pen in hand. He glared over at Emily.
"Who are you talking to sweetie?"
Emily had a terrible habit of forgetting she could only see Vivian. She would eventually tell Gren; if he chose to label her insane and unstable, well, that was a bridge they would cross. In the meantime, she had to think of some excuse to the man standing before her.
"The babies, love." Good idea she thought. "The little buggas'."
Gren beams. He plants his right cheek against Emily's warm belly. Closing his eyes, Gren pictures four tiny infants growing inside of his girlfriend. The idea that something so precious was happening deep within. That he, of all the people in this shit hole town, participated in creating such beloved treasures. Gren was a father-to-be and he couldn't have been moe proud.
"Just three more days, Emily."
"What do ya' think they are? And fookin' tell me the truth."
Gren ponders this question. "Well...I was thinking two of each and a good variety of Fables."
"Mary has a fookin' game made out of this pregnancy."
Gren laughs, continuing to rub Emily's belly. "Mary makes a game out of taking a fucking shit."
"She has me whole entire family in on the bloody game-the genders, their personality-even the bloody color of their eyes and hair!"
"I can honestly care less what they look like. As long as the four of them have ten fingers, ten toes, happy and are healthy, I can care less."
"Well, so far ONE is a Grendel. So, hopefully it has claws, webbed feet and spikes. It ain't gunna rip me a new one, will it?"
Typical Emily, thought Gren, trying not to giggle at her comment. Grendel babies were indeed the most difficult pregnancy to endure, right next to Giants and even Gnomes. Grendels, however, had a different process during this time and if the mother did not have knowledge of these changes, it was stressful and even dangerous. Emily was prepared; since she learned of the pregnancy, her nose was always buried in the book Swineheart gave her.
"It won't fucking rip you open, Emily."
"Oh yeah?" Emily flips through the pages until she game to the middle of the book. "Look at this fookin' woman-notice the painful look in her bloody eyes? See how WIDE she needs to be? Look at that little fookin bastard right 'ere-SEE!? He be rippin' her bloody Vagina open!"
Emily shoves the picture into Gren's face. "Sweetie, it varies. You know that."
Emily slams the book shut. "This be ya' fault, ya' dirty fookin' bastard!"
Vivian laughs. Watching Emily thrash in her spot and threaten Gren became the highlight of her day. Emily tried to swing a punch in Gren's direction but failed when it slammed into the couch.
"Relax, Ems." Gren kisses her belly. "You'll set them off."
While mumbling to herself, there was a tiny knock at the door. Emily's little brown and black Chihuahua, Puddles, runs to the door and begins barking. Gren stands up and heads for the door.
"Ah shutup, ya' fucking rat."
Puddles continues to yipp. Standing there, with a case of donuts, is Rosie.
"Hey dad."
"Rosie Posie." Gren embraces Rosie, nearly crushing her in the making. "My baby-"
"Dad, you're hurting my body and crushing the donuts."
"Oops! Sorry sweetie."
Entering the apartment, Rosie immediatly detects Pumpkin candles and Mr. Bubbles. Since moving in, Emily made sure the place smelled fresh, clean and felt like home. Gren's bottle collection was recycled, new furniture and all household appliances fixed to work properly. She gave Puddles a quick pat on the head, placed the donuts on the counter and removed her shoes. Emily and her 'no shoe' rule. Just like Lyla.
"Place looks beautiful, Emily. You did a great job."
Emily holds her hand up. "Ya' hear that, Gren? Think me fookin' idea ta' light those candles and add a little color ta' this place a bad idea?"
"I never had an issue with the candles, Ems. It was those damn drapes you picked out. Cheetah-how original."
Rosie laughs, as she took her seat beside Emily. Squealing with delight, Rose leans forward and rubs Emily's belly.
"God how exciting! You ready?"
"When I push these little fookas' out, THEN I'll be ready."
"How is the house searching doing?"
Gren grabs the chicken sandwiches and offers one to Rosie. She accepts one along with a coke.
"Emily is being difficult-"
"Fine! Let's just move where eva' the fook ya' want Gren! How 'bout the bloody ghetto, huh?"
Rosie dips her sandwich into ketchup, trying to think of places in Fabletown.
"Have you looked everywhere? What about that really nice place over on SunnyHills?"
Gren cocks his eyebrow. "I'm not made of fucking money, Rosie. Those places are expensive."
"Well, I know Peter mentioned building you a home-"
"Near the fookin' Farm? No thank ya'!"
Rosie pats Emily's belly. "I know....mommy is being stubborn again."
Gren grabs the notepad and watches Rosie continue to love on her siblings. She was looking forward to being a big sister again. Rosie did very with kids and Gren was proud his daughter chose a career involving children.
"I'm going to the Cut Above to stock up. Need anything?"
"Craving meat, Emily?"
"Yup. Stratin' ta' think we MAY have a Wolf in here."
Gren examines the list. "I have four Hams, twenty pounds of Flank steak, ten pounds of Turkey breast, thirty pounds of Salmon and an Ostrich."
"Wow." Rosie had never heard of a person ordering that much food. "That's a lot..."
"Most of it will be stored. We won't eat ALL of this but soon, the babies will be eating soilds and well...you know."
Emily could not think of anything. "If I do think of anything, I'll call ya'."
Gren grabs his jacket and keys. He kisses Emily, rubs her belly one last time and hugs Rosie.
"I'll be back. Don't do TOO much, ladies."
Emily waves. "Get the fook outta here. Love ya'."
"Love you more." Gren blows a kiss. "Be back soon."
Gren leaves, leaving Emily and Rosie alone. (If only Rosie knew about Vivian; there would be three instead of two.) Emily grabs the remote and changes the channel.
"Come sit with me, Rosie. It's Shark Week. Wanna fookin' see people be eaten' by killa' monsters?"
Rosie chuckles. "Sure, Emily....whatever you say."
She would regret that decision. Emily laughed hysterically at a man being devoured by a large Great White. Rosie was trying her best to avoid throwing up; Vivian couldn't stand to see anymore carniage and destruction.
Hopefully the babies would prefer Barney. Hopefully.
Any questions, you know the drill. Birthday is today and the misses and I have a day planned ahead of us. Don't know WHAT yet bit excited for it.
"Ava! Ava welcome to tha' party!" Crazy Pete's voice echoed in the abandoned subway room. This part of Fabletown....well, it wasn't exactly part of Fabletown at all. It was owned by the one and only, the crazy Lyncanthrope who had a fascination with mingling with the wrong people.
Ava fistbumped his hand as she walked by, poking her hands in her pockets directly afterward and pulling out her cellphone. There were a few missed calls from her mother, that was to be expected. She hadn't thought her brother would call or text back, though. A few messages that said he was 'Sorry' and that he wanted to mend things before bed tonight. Sometimes he was such a wuss, it made Ava gag.
She undid the zipper to her jacket, since the heat down there was unbearable. Normally, the gates would be locked in this part of the subway, since it was non-functional and used in emergencies by the government. But Pete had his way around those things. He's been living in there since it officially closed down in the 70's. Ava enjoyed the beat-up feeling it emitted as her eyes adjusted to the mixture of strobe and neon lights. The dancefloor was crowded to the brim with a mixture of normal looking people and Fae and more animalistic in character. Yeah, her sister would shut that place down in a heartbeat.
Jack Horner, the local asshole, was bent over the pool table with ferocity in his eyes. She hated him almost as much as she hated the fact that she got her period every month. He was a constant gnat in everyone's ears and he was also constantly conning people into doing things they didn't want to do. The poor mundies, they get the worst of it. She caught him wink at her just as she moved on toward the bar.
Ah, the bar. She loved a good drink or two, or five. But she only got drunk in front of her boyfriend. Her dirty, rotten, no good-
Zelek purposefully bumped into her shoulder, his arms around his newest piece of meat. Ava felt her throat growl as they looked at each other for a split second. It took all the willpower in her body to hold back her words and her fist.
He was a mundane. Most people she found attractive were. Maybe it was their curiosity, or the fact that she knew something they didn't. All her life, she'd felt unable to compete with the Fable Children she grew up with. The Cratchits, the Wolf's, Even her sister Mary's son, or Prince Charming's daughter. She was officially the 'bottom' of the educated pile. Inferior. Except, she wasn't stupid. She was actually quite brilliant, when she wanted to be. She pushed through the crowd of people, reaching her usual band of misfits.
"Kelly, Fin," She said their names as she approached them. They couldn't hear her though, over the bass coming from the speakers in the DJ's booth. They too were also mundies. Just play things, in reality. Ava could never trust any of them with her true secrets or her real life. It just wouldn't work out.
"Yo!" Fin's deep voice projected into Ava's face. His dark skin seemed illuminated....almost....glowing. "I just had one of Pete's newer drinks at the bar! Everything is GLOWING babe!"
Ava rolled her eyes. Fairy juices. Pete was mixing fairy juices with the alcohol again. She looked to Kelly, with her red and purple colored hair. She had more piercing holes in her face than Ava could count on all of her fingers and toes. She almost never talked, which was expected. Really, all Ava did was talk with Fin, and Kelly would either nod in agreement or shake her head no.
"YOU need to TRY one!" Fin kept going on. There was no way in any layer of Hell that Ava was touching a single drink mixed by either Pete or his bar tender. They both tried to get you to drink shit that messed with your head. Luckily, she was friendly with both of them enough to be trusted behind the bar to get her own stuff out. Right now though, she couldn't be bothered to make her way all the way back. She just wanted to dance and have fun.
"I'll try one later," She replied, having to get near Fin's ear for him to hear.
"Come on! Loosen up!" Fin called out to her. "You look so tense right now, and like, I MEAN it! Doesn't she, Kell?"
Kelly nodded. Ava rolled her eyes again, looking past the faces of her temporary friends. Zelek was not far away, his lips practically eating the girl he was holding's face off. Ava shuddered slightly. Maybe he'd lied to her all along. Maybe he was a monster under that golden brown skin, waiting to eat her up like a snake but just waiting for the most opportune time. She didn't like to think that way, but she couldn't help it. Anyone in that room could turn out to be one of those....things that Jian-min killed that morning.
"Listen! I'll buy you a drink!" Fin said to Ava, though she barely heard him over her thought process. Before she knew it, he was dragging her to the bar, his hand slapping change onto the wood surface of the counter. Still dazed, Ava felt the cup enter her hands, cold and light honey colored in the light.
"Drink it! Drink it!"
"What is it?" She asked, though still wasn't quite there. All Ava could think about in that moment was Jian-min. The white haired boy with the thin, muscular body and the eyes of an angel.
Jian-min....
Her lips tasted the alcohol and it was as if time itself had ceased to exist.
Dun dun dun! Oh no she shouldn't have drank that :O More later, have homework :L School, God damn it!
Junior and Mary stayed for a few more minutes before leaving the apartment the very same way the came in: through the mirror. Gren stood bef… moreore the large mirror hanging in their bedroom.
"I should REALLY cover that damn thing up."
Emily sprawled out on the couch. She took the remainder of her fries and dipped them in ketchup. To her, McDonald's had THE best tasting ketchup in the entire universe. Hands down. No competition. Vivian sat on the edge.
"Want one?"
"You know I can't eat, Emily."
Emily chuckles. "Ya' wanna sniff it at least?"
Gren walks into the living room, notepad and pen in hand. He glared over at Emily.
"Who are you talking to sweetie?"
Emily had a terrible habit of forgetting she could only see Vivian. She would eventually tell Gren; if he chose to label her insane and unstable, well, that was a bridge they would cross. In the meantime, she had to think of some excuse to the man standing before her.
"… [view original content]
Emily talking to Viv so openly makes me crack up sometimes XD "Want to sniff it then?" It's hilarious! And her excuse for talking to herself was perfect too XD
Gren laughs, continuing to rub Emily's belly. "Mary makes a game out of taking a fucking shit."
It's so true XD So true! Oh Mary...
"Well, so far ONE is a Grendel. So, hopefully it has claws, webbed feet and spikes. It ain't gunna rip me a new one, will it?"
"It won't fucking rip you open, Emily."
Their conversation is just perfect XD
Puddles the Chihuahua! I have to wonder why his name is Puddles XD
"Hey dad."
"Rosie Posie." Gren embraces Rosie, nearly crushing her in the making. "My baby-"
"Dad, you're hurting my body and crushing the donuts."
"Oops! Sorry sweetie."
Just picturing this in my head was THE SWEETEST THING I HAVE EVER PICTURED! I can see Gren squeezing the life out of her like my Dad tries to do sometimes XD I literally wanted to cry happy tears reading it because it was so cute
Emily holds her hand up. "Ya' hear that, Gren? Think me fookin' idea ta' light those candles and add a little color ta' this place a bad idea?"
"I never had an issue with the candles, Ems. It was those damn drapes you picked out. Cheetah-how original."
This wasn't even a long chapter and I just keep finding parts that need highlighting XD
"Emily is being difficult-"
"Fine! Let's just move where eva' the fook ya' want Gren! How 'bout the bloody ghetto, huh?"
Sounds like a pregnant woman's type of outburst XD Combine it with Emily's normal personality, and you have a bomb on your hands XD
Hopefully the babies would prefer Barney. Hopefully.
We can only hope XD I'm sure at least ONE will.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY MAN! HAVE FUN! Get some ice cream! Have a cake! Say 'Hi' to baby Emily for us! It's your birthday, you can cry if you want to! So cry, if you want to! XD I think that's enough of me for today!
Junior and Mary stayed for a few more minutes before leaving the apartment the very same way the came in: through the mirror. Gren stood bef… moreore the large mirror hanging in their bedroom.
"I should REALLY cover that damn thing up."
Emily sprawled out on the couch. She took the remainder of her fries and dipped them in ketchup. To her, McDonald's had THE best tasting ketchup in the entire universe. Hands down. No competition. Vivian sat on the edge.
"Want one?"
"You know I can't eat, Emily."
Emily chuckles. "Ya' wanna sniff it at least?"
Gren walks into the living room, notepad and pen in hand. He glared over at Emily.
"Who are you talking to sweetie?"
Emily had a terrible habit of forgetting she could only see Vivian. She would eventually tell Gren; if he chose to label her insane and unstable, well, that was a bridge they would cross. In the meantime, she had to think of some excuse to the man standing before her.
"… [view original content]
Gren, hands in his jacket pockets, walked down the busy sidewalks and headed to the Butchers. Clutched in his right hand, was the crumpled paper of the many meats he would purchase for Emily. He eagerly turned the corner and held his head up high. Several passing mundies gave a slight nod to the man with one good eye. Gren returned the favor with a tilt and smile.
The sun rose higher and climbed to the very peaks of the buildings. The concrete jungle was flooded with groups of mundies and Fables alike. Gren passed by several coffee shops and decided to grab himself a soda. His throat was parched and since offering Rosie one, an ice cold Coke sounded wonderful. Popping the top and allowing the bubbling liquid to run down his throat, Gren reached his destination.
Johann was currently busy with one other customer. He waved to Gren. Gren gave a nod and leaned against the back window. The woman paid for her cuts, thanked Johann and walked out the store. Gren held the door open for the woman, who appeared to be rather pressed for time.
"Bless you, young man." The woman smiled at Gren and quickly walked down to her car.
Gren closed the door; the bells chimmed and rang against the force of the wind. Gren brought out his note and with one arm, leaned against the large glass box. Johann washed his hands, dried them and opened the glass door.
"So Grendel. What is miss Emily craving for today?"
Gren holds the note up. "Every damn piece of meat you got in this damn store."
Johann smiles. "Ah, sounds like she may have a little pup in there. Not to mention a Grendel."
"We prefer Fish to meat but the occasional bloody slab of cow carcass ain't too fucking bad neither."
Johann looks carefully at the note. By now, he was able to read Gren's terrible hand writing. He tried to perfect this necessery skill but Gren never could; in the centuries of roaming this earth, if he couldn't do it then, he sure as hell wasn't going to perform it now. Johann returns the note to Gren and enters the back room. Johann continues to hold the conversation.
"So, how is Emily doing?"
"Fine fine. Her ankles and lower back hurt but she swears it goes away in time. She felt a hard spot around her pelvis bone."
"The cocoon I'm assuming?"
"We will see in three days."
Johann returned to the front with the Hams, Steaks and an enormous bundle of Ostrich meat. Normally he never served the bird. Fables did not seem to fond of its unique taste or texture; some ocassionally enjoyed it barbequed or fried but was not requested very often. Since Emily's pregnancy, however, it was ordered every other three months or so. One, if not all of the babies seemed to have grown acustomed to the taste. Gren too was beginning to stomach down the bird.
"Well, make sure you find out EXACTLY what those little jelly beans are. You'd hate to not have something in stock."
Gren gathers some of the meat products. "Trust me, we are prepared. I have a personal storage of food JUST for the babies and Emily's midnight cravings. Just the other night I found her sitting on the couch chewing on a raw piece of meat."
"Sounds like my Penelope. When she was pregnant with the litter, she always had the craving for raw meat. Believe it or not, COOKED meat made her sick. Can you believe that?"
"I remember that."
Johann, like all the other family members, were excited for the newest editions. The idea that they would be birthed by Emily made the anticipation even greater. No one, especially Gren, thought Emily would have children. He suddenly pictured his beautiful Emily, wearing nothing and exposing her belly. This was her most gorgeous moment yet to him. Johann continued handing meat to Gren.
"What is this?" Gren lifts a dark red box. "I think you-"
"It's fresh Deer, Gren. The finest cuts of meat is right in there."
"But I didn't-"
"My neices and nephews might actually enjoy that cut. Deer meat is full of nutrients that little developing babies need to grow big and strong. They'll know its from uncle Johann."
Gren tucks the box under his arm. "Thanks Johann. How much do I owe you?"
"A barbeque and some of that delicious Potato Salad your Emily knows how to make."
"Seriously, Johann-how much do I owe you?"
Johann pushes the wad of bills in Gren's hand. "No, no, no Gren. Barbeque some of that meat, Potato Salad and a good bottle of Wine will do for me and the misses. It's on the house-a present, as you may, to those four little ones at home."
"But...." Gren looks at the vast amount of meat in his hands. "There is so much and-"
"Shoo now, Gren." Johann smiles and waves. "I have plenty to do and YOU need to go home to Emily and give her some of that food."
There was no need to argue with Johann. The man's mind was already made up. Gren thanked Johann one last time and walked out the door. He felt the sudden clamy touch against his shoulders. Gren was ready to defend his bountiful supply of meat, no matter who it was. But the smell of swamp moss and spring water could not be avoided. He peeked around the mountain of meat and noticed his nephew RJ, two hands on each end.
"Whoa, that's A LOT of meat there, uncle Gren. Going somewhere?"
"Hey RJ....just picking up the needed things for Emily and heading home."
"Here, let me help you."
RJ grabbed several of the Hams and the packages. Gren sighed with relief. Next time, he would bring the truck and not assume he was able to carry all this alone. That, or bring along someone with a good, strong grip.
"Thanks kiddo. Where you off to?"
"I'm off to the movies with a couple of the guys. Got the day off, so I wanted to take advantage of a weekday. Normally, I'm working."
"Dad doing good too?"
"Yup. Busy, busy busy but you knew that already. Said he'll stop by and pay a visit to you and Emily. I'll come by later, too and see her. Hear she's getting pretty big."
Gren nods. "She DOES have four in there."
RJ and Gren continue walking down the sidewalk and finally reaching the apartment. For payment, Gren gave RJ a fillet of Salmon. He watched RJ devour the piece before heading back out. He'd return sometime that evening to pay a small visit. As he walked inside, the sheer terror flowing from the television and Rosie's petrified face means Emily was watching her usual shows.
Gren chuckled and placed the meat on the counter. Typical Emily.
Had time before me and Tammy head out. Going to be gone the rest of the day; can't wait to see the surprise! So, if you have any questions, you know the drill.
Emily and even dear sweet Viv forget sometimes and tend to be caught by people. Thankfully, Emily was quick to respond. xD Never wanted to change Mary; although she's a mommy now, does not mean a thing to her. As you can see....lol
I can honestly say, Gren and Emily have that type of relationship to were they can talk about ANYTHING. And Puddles te rat, as Gren calls him-you'll read why in future chaps WHY they named him that. And I'm glad that little section made you think of your dad and cry happy tears. He sounds like a wonderful father. I never wanted Rosie to lose sight of WHO raised her; despite Gren not being her biological father, they still have a special bond.
Outbursts indeed! Emily is just full of them to begin with and now being pregnant, you never know with her! And I'm pleased, despite this being a short chapter, (didn't see that until AFTER posting) that there were some funny and good moments. And Gren wll be pleasently surprised by the tv choices his children make.
Thank you for the wishes; love that song and we JUST had some cake and ice cream, too. Fiancee has a surprise (won't say) and I'm looking forward to it. I'll give miss Emily all the hugs and hellos, too.
Emily talking to Viv so openly makes me crack up sometimes XD "Want to sniff it then?" It's hilarious! And her excuse for talking to herself… more was perfect too XD
Gren laughs, continuing to rub Emily's belly. "Mary makes a game out of taking a fucking shit."
It's so true XD So true! Oh Mary...
"Well, so far ONE is a Grendel. So, hopefully it has claws, webbed feet and spikes. It ain't gunna rip me a new one, will it?"
"It won't fucking rip you open, Emily."
Their conversation is just perfect XD
Puddles the Chihuahua! I have to wonder why his name is Puddles XD
"Hey dad."
"Rosie Posie." Gren embraces Rosie, nearly crushing her in the making. "My baby-"
"Dad, you're hurting my body and crushing the donuts."
"Oops! Sorry sweetie."
Just picturing this in my head was THE SWEETEST THING I HAVE EVER PICTURED! I can see Gren squeezing the life out of her like my Dad tries to do som… [view original content]
Comments
Hmm it is a bit weird that Gren is pretty friendly, although ever since Makoto came back things have been different. Rose is actually dead this time and Dewitt and Clara are there when they weren't last time I wonder what may be going on really
Yeah! Well, there was an Arc in Fairest that revealed that there was a Fabletown in Japan (A really epic one at that!) and also there was the 'Arabian Nights' arc that showed that there was a Fabletown in the Middle East as well (Also pretty cool, much more traditional.) So I figured I would add those bit in, plus my own flare
No problem! I should know the answer to anything in particular
Oooooh so good
Aw, Emily though! She didn't have to do that 
Poor Junior, too. Man, it's coming along great!
This was fantastic! The bantering was great, Especially when Gren started singing XD can't wait to see how this turns out for these fellas!
"Late. Again," Jersey's voice was terse; Ava had gotten used to his pissy moods, which happened to elevate whenever she strolled through the door.
"Sorry, man. But believe me when I tell you, I actually intended on getting to work on time today."
Jersey scoffed, turning his attention back to the dinosaur of a computer that sat on the glass counter at one end of the Pawn Shop. She had been begging him for months to switch over to a mac, or a nicer windows 8 computer, but nahhhh.
Jersey can't part with his beloved Bertha. What the hell kind of name was that? And for a computer that was older than time itself?
Ava figured he could have at least come up with something more badass. Like 'Graphical Ass Kicker' or 'The Pixel Destroyer'.
She pulled up her uncomfortable stool from behind the counter, and set it up near the front door. She would have been surprised if more than 5 people came today. There never was much activity at the Lucky Pawn, and therefore she often argued that in order for her to be on time to work, she had to see more than 7 unfamiliar faces on average. So far, the average was maybe 2.
Jersey grumbled as he was no doubt reading his lottery numbers online. She wondered how fast the processor even was, if it even ran on anything more than Windows XP, which, if you haven't heard, was officially unsupported by Microsoft at the end of last year. Realizing that she'd been going on a useless tangent about computing software, Ava decided to stand up and walk around aimlessly. She liked to think that she actually owned all the items in the shop, from the magical typewriter, (Yes, that exists.) to the spell books donated 'anonymously' (Everyone knows Jack stole them.) and even a few cursed relics and battle axes. They were freakin' awesome.
Ava turned to the register, playing with the ancient buttons (Because like the computer, Jersey had also named his register and refused to upgrade that either.)
"Hey, stop touching Lynnete! You'll break her for the thousandth time this month! Ya little brat..."
Ava just giggled. She loved making him angry. There wasn't anything he could do about it. He wouldn't have done anything. He's turned into a sap over the years. Can't even turn to his true form with out brief hesitation. She saw it once, but thankfully it hadn't been anything she did. Some customer claimed that there was a necklace he was looking for, and suspected it was in their shop. She told the creep (Because no matter how many time they asked him, he would not remove his darkened hood.) that they never even saw it before, and Jersey had to use force to make the man leave.
".....Stupid- internet thingy-" Jersey was struggling to open a side panel on his computer screen. She figured the fan must have stopped working, like it always did. She sighed, walking over to help her boss with his computer issues.
"There's a button you have to press, remember?" She reminded him. Jersey stared at her, like she was speaking another language. Sighing exasperatedly, Ava pressed the button that released the hatch that allowed you to see all the fancy computer bits and circuit boards.
"The fan is busted again!" Jersey's voice seemed to always be yelling.
"You need to clean the dust off of it," Ava told him. "It's so clogged-"
The doors to the shop opened up. The sound of the little bell was what caught Ava's attention. Some hooded guy-....Oh no. Not him again. She lifted her head out from the tiny compartment on the computer and gave a fake but cordial smile as his head wavered over the jewelry section.
"Told you, we don't-" Jersey started, but as soon as his eyes met with the man's eyes, he went silent. Jersey looked toward Ava nervously, all of the sudden standing in front of her, as if to protect her.
"Jersey-" Ava said,"What's going-"
"Just finish fixing my computer," He growled. In a huff, Ava leaned back over and tried to get her hand in the way back to pull the dust bunnies out.
The man seemed to chuckle menacingly, and it almost scared Ava. It was so.....familiar. Not a chuckled, a growling. A growling laugh. She felt her insides jitter as she tried to keep her business out of it all.
"Like I said," Jersey repeated. "We ain't got your damn necklace."
"Then," The man's voice was surprisingly neutral. "Where should I look for it then? Because there's no doubt my daughter got rid of it somehow..."
Ava didn't look up, but she could feel his gaze on her back. Like lasers, frying through her brain. She gulped, tossing more dirt and dust into the trash can beneath her.
The man's attention looked through the windows. She could hear the distaste in his voice as he stammered,"Those imbeciles. Excuse me, while I-"
CRASH!
Ava jumped and looked up. There were two more people in the room, wrestling hastily. One looked not even human- Blue scales covered it's body, and it had long black hair on it's head, and it's fingers were webbed- And it was fighting....fighting with Jian-min?
Ava was both confused, shocked, and overwhelmed. She didn't know who it was who pushed her behind the counter, but now she was watching the fight through the glass cases and she saw the disturbing color of Jersey's wings masking most of what was going on. She noticed that the man had disappeared, whether in to thin air, or using the broken window, she couldn't tell. The alarm was going off, signalling that the 'Police' would be coming. In reality, it never triggered any alert to any mundies. The only person who would see the disturbance would be the sheriff, and nine times out of ten, her sister Mary was probably out on the street yelling at some kid for kicking an empty soda can instead of waiting in her office for an important call.
Ava jumped when she saw Jian draw a sword- Where had he even concealed it? - and stabbed it straight through the blue thing. The blue thing shriveled and burned and then stopped moving all together. Jersey turned back to his normal form, the little strands of red hair frayed upon his otherwise balding head.
"Thanks," She heard Jian say, but Jersey just grunted. "And the body will be picked up shortly. I promise."
"It was you who busted my window," Jersey said. "I expect it replaced?"
"Certainly," Jian-min said. His gaze wandered to Ava, who was frozen again as their eyes met. Why the hell did that always happen? Jersey headed to his computer, still mumbling his distaste as Ava was helped up by Jian's iron grip. He seemed well now, after a jab to his injured side earlier that morning.
Jian-min looked at some of the relics in the case that stood between them. There was a few cursed dolls, a few holy symbols, and even some weapons.
"So strange," He said. "These look nothing like some of the Chinese relics that I've seen my whole life. Not as....shiny?"
Ava shrugged. "Well, these ones are all Native American shrine keepsakes, and those are from the earliest settlement days. Jersey gets a TON of-"
"Why are you talkin' about me? Get the damn kid to pay for my damn window!"
Ava rolled her eyes. "Here. come to the back room with me."
Jian-min followed her into the office. It doubled as Jersey's apartment, with a little cot in the corner and a kitchenette near the door. She plopped on the office chair and turned on the extra light, so they could see better.
"He wants you to sign this slip of paper-" Ava tossed her hands into a semi-open cabinet, shuffling through loads of papers and documents,"-Just to make sure you have your word. He's very finicky-"
Jian's lips pressed on hers. It tasted like salt and blood, and a hint of mint. Had he been chewing gum? Drinking a hot beverage that contained mint? She pushed him off of her, despite the ache in the back of her head that was created in doing so. She wanted more of him, but that would simply not do. They stared at each other, both with wide eyes.
"I-...." God dammit. That stammering thing again. Why was it always in front of Jian-min did Ava forget every word that would have normally rolled off her tongue like verbal diarrhea?
"I'm sorry," He whispered. "I just....I'll sign the paper, if that's what the bird-monster-thing wants."
Ava silently slid the paper across the desk with a pen on top. She couldn't stop staring at him, suddenly noticing the bruise across his chin, and the cuts down his arms. He wasn't wearing a sweatshirt anymore, but a faded graphic t-shirt with an indecipherable Chinese symbol. She imagined it probably said something like 'Nobel' or 'Peace'.
He folded the paper in half, and pressed it into Ava's slightly shaking hands. It took her a minute to process that information, but she curtly nodded and watched as he stepped out of the office, without another word. She heard the tiny bell that dinged when the door opened, and she could see through the little crack in the office door that Jian-min was long gone.
She stood up, placing the paper on the table. Then, she proceeded to hit her head on the door frame. "Stupid, stupid, stupid-"
"Would ya quit it? I'll have to friggin' fix you if you break yourself! Bad enough I gotta window ta fix!"
Ava sighed. It was going to be a long day, especially now since the window was busted and was letting in the cold winter air. She wanted to retreat into her jacket and pretend like the world didn't exist with her. She should have said something to Jian-min. Should have not pushed him off of her. Should have done something right for once. Hell, maybe she should have followed him and quit the Lucky Pawn and became a super awesome Special Ops like countless others who were also apparently apart of the whole thing.
She took her spot, wiping off the glass from the stool, and waited aimlessly for their usual customers to start rolling in through the damn door.
Action! Excitement! Drama! I hope you like this so far! I'll be getting on to my New Years Challenge soon, but I'm super engrossed in this new story right now ^-^ Any questions, don't be scared to ask!
Thank you, Tetra! I couldn't help myself. Gren seems like one of those guys, no matter the situation, to find humor in times like these. Not to mention he IS still kinda drunk.
An all out battle? Man....putting me on the spot for that intense moment!
jk Hopefully Robert can stay away from the temptation of battling his lovers's father. No offense-my OC has nothing on an alpha like John!
I figured his was before Mary could come and go as she pleases but I wanted to make sure. I'd hate to assume something. Also another question: Junior's eyes. They do that when she's around? Would explain why he won't look at Lyla.
You can help but love Mary, especially now with her 'love' interest Georgie Porgie junior! Again,great job!
It does make sense because since you started writing the Porgie Clan stories, she was the ONLY Smith girl to never appear or remain in the shadows. It makes sense now, considering she had this evil plan all along.
It's sad she can't look past all this to see her Ffamily is happy
Her decision to take this into her own hands was indeed selfish. I hope Peter just lays it into her! I hope when she gets to Gren's apartment he joins Peter! And Georgie, seeing as he may still be there.
No problem JJwolf!
He really does which is probably why I like his character XD
This made me smirk so hard, you don't even know! XD Everything was perfect so far, besides the fact that I don't think Central Park has pine trees or a forest... regardless, keep it up!
P.S. - The MLP cast tattooed on Gren is surely something to be embarrassed of indeed! :P
True, true, he is quite "the lover, not a fighter" indeed. Well, do what you feel is best man!
You killed Rose? (gasp) How dare you?! (I honestly don't remember reading that part, sorry to say - forgive me!)
I did
please forgive me! (That's alright Dragon no need to say sorry XD but I forgive you anyways ;D)
Yay!
Emily, believe it or not, was a sweetheart as a child. Always looking out for her siblings.
Glad you like it so far! 
I did that on purpose; I had an idea with Mary for awhile and after the months of writing the Porgie Clan, this made sense. Mary was evil and was willing to do ANYTHING to stop her family...anything....
You'll like the idea with Emily, Mary...all of it.
That second part had me on the edge of my seat!
January Challenge
Dewloren woke up in front of a nightclub around 7:37am with his glamour, still in tact. If you might ask, since Dewloren is a 200 year old drawf, he wears the glamour of a short middle aged man with red hair in a red and brown suit with a fancy Italian wrist watch ato go along with it. Oh and not to mention, gators on his feet.
"Oh... wow. Wow... those mundanes sure know how to party. I can only imagine what Wolven would say if he say me like this.." He thought to himself trying to get t up by pulling on the railings. He gets up and notices that his wallet is missing so he begins to panic. He then began to look around the desererted building and went over on the other side of the building he saw Wolven passed out by the dumpster and then he looks up in a nearby tree and see's Draco who is also passed out..
"What the fuck happened last night? ???!!" Dewloren screamed in utter confusion. He then walks over to Wolven and tries to wake him up. Wolven then mutters something in the process. "Nahh baby, I... I.. got time for three-" Then Dewloren smacks him thus walking up the drunken wolf.
"Ouuch!!! What the? Dewloren? Wha..what happened here?" Wolven looking around in confusion.
"I was going to ask the same thing too. Looks like we drunk alot and maybe even took a couple of mundy drugs too. What a.. delightful night." Dewloren looks at Draco who falls out of the tree and gets up and realize that something is wrong.
"Uhh, do I even.. need ask?" Draco looking at the two.
Whistling can be heard at the front door of the club. From the door, Marco emerged from the doorway holding wit a monkey on his shoulder. They are both having a drink.
"Hey! I was looking for you guys! Some party huh?!" Marco as he waves the bottle and the monkey on his shoulders does the same.
Dewloren , Wolven and Draco then looks at Marco and in unison, they all screamed "NOT AGAIN!
Unfortunately that is all for now, my little tribute to hanger over lol. Up next, Daren and Cinderella continues their mission to bring down the black market trafficker, Yony.
Awesome! Iactually had an idea about the pine trees; being as both are drunk, their senses are a BIT off the radar at the moment. I got an idea with it. xD Glad you like it so far!
AND I will have to agree with you on that....as if the anatomy pic wasn't enough.
Awesome! That's what I wanted to do! I hope you're enjoying it ^-^
"You're being ridiculous! I'm NOT the father of your baby!...." Hazel's soap operas chimed through the paper thin walls as Ava reentered her homestead. It was actually pretty early for her to be home, considering she was known for getting in well past her bed time. It was only 4 in the afternoon and she made Hazel jump when she opened the front door.
"Hey, Ma." Ava said, walking directly to the kitchen. She was starving.
Hazel raised her eyebrow,"I heard what happened at the Pawn. Some strangers burst through the window? Are you hurt?"
Ava let out a burp after polishing off the last of their nearly expired milk. There was a slightly off taste to it, but she didn't care. "It was nothing, Mom. No scratches. I was busy fixing Bertha."
"....Bertha?"
"His computer, Mom. C'mon, stay focused." Ava piled lunch meat onto stale rye bread and heated it in the microwave to bring it to life a little. She was lucky there wasn't any gross mold growing on either food items yet, so that meant they were technically still edible.
"Well, that sounds like an...ehem....odd predicament."
Ava looked past the kitchen doorway and stared directly at her mother. She still looked so young. She looked...
Not like a mother should look like.
Ava chomped into her sandwich, taking a seat on the beat up recliner that faced the southern most wall. In one direction was the TV, in the opposite was the couch and her mother.
Ava turned her head to her mother. She stared a moment, which Hazel hadn't quite noticed because her Soap Opera was about to reveal that Dan WAS in fact the father of the baby.
"Mom?" Ava said, setting her sandwich down on her plate.
"Mmm?....Oh I knew it!" Hazel yelled, as the TV blurted exactly what Ava had predicted.
"....Are you happy, Mom?"
Hazel froze, mid 'I knew it'-dance. She looked at her daughter with confusion mixed with an underlying sadness. "I..."
Ava stood, and placed her sandwich plate on the coffee table. "Seriously. Mom-..." How was she supposed to word this?
"No," Hazel said. "Ava, it's alright. My priority is with you and your brother. My happiness comes second."
"I really wish you wouldn't say that," Ava stammered. "Mom, I worry about you."
Hazel blinked her eyes, probably to stop tears from ultimately flowing. "And I worry about you. Sometimes I'm afraid you'll never come home one day. I figured you wanted space, but-...."
Ava smiled the weakest of smiles. "Mom, it's alright. You don't have to worry that I won't come home. I will. I just...I have someone watching my back."
Hazel raised her eyebrow, but didn't question further. She stood, asking,"Why the sudden interest, anyway?"
Ava shrugged. "Just thinking too much lately, is all. Just....be careful, Mom."
"And you too," Hazel replied. They hugged, probably the first time since Jackson had left the household over 3 months ago. Ava forgot how comforting her mother's smell was, and remembered that it was something she often searched for when she was little and was having her nightmares. Her and Jackson, both. She let go of Hazel, throwing out the remains of her sandwich and grabbing her cellphone from her tote bag.
She dialed Jackson's number, respectively.
Ring...
Ring...
"Hello?"
"Hey," Ava said into the receiver. She waltzed across the the kitchen's linoleum floor and stared out the fifth floor window at the street below. She could have sworn she saw the glint of that silver-white hair...
"How's it been, sis?" Jackson's voice was lower than she remembered. She sat in one of the kitchen chairs and twirled her long black hair in her fingers.
"I've been okay," She told him. It was partially true. Lately, she hadn't been as motivated as much to defy rules and hang out with crappy people. In fact, she almost felt as if life were at a stand-still...
"That's good. I've been....erm, peeling my future...Grandfather-in-law? Yeah, I suppose that's the term. Anyway, I've been peeling him off the ground because this family has a tendency to have a few too many drinks to welcome the New Year. You know?"
"Man, I could go for a drink," Ava muttered. "I just wanted to have a talk with you. For old time's sake."
Jackson laughed. "You know, I'll be back in Fabletown soon. Scar has another appointment since the due date is practically around the corner..." He said the last sentence with a slight sense of dread. "Man...I can't believe it's so close. I still need to put the crib together..."
Ava laughed, the kind of snorting pig laugh that she inherited from her mother.
"What? What did I say that was so funny?" Jackson asked.
"Nothing. You just sound like a typical Dad is all. Like, the dad we should have had."
"Gren was pretty fatherly to us growing up," Jackson admitted.
"Mmm, true," Ava had said. And it was. He was the same one-armed man who managed to help her learn to ride her bike and occasionally pushed her on the swings at the park if he was wandering that way. She always wanted a father, and although she never got one, the closest person to it would be Gren. "But you knew what I meant. I'm talking about our real father. I want to know who he was-"
"No," Jackson said.
"What?"
"Stop looking. You'll find nothing you want to know."
"And how do you know?" Ava was slightly irritated that her brother did not share the same opinion as her.
"I don't," He said. "And I'm happy I never will. What kind of dad screws a girl and leaves her to the dust?"
Ava choked a bitter laugh. "Did you just say that? You nearly made that decision yourself, it doesn't seem as easy as you're putting it."
"I made mistakes! But now I realize that I was wrong!"
"And what if our father made those same mistakes? What if he regrets his decisions?"
"He obviously doesn't, or else he would be here. Wouldn't he?"
Ava could not think of anything to say back to him. She just sighed, extra loud so he could hear her. "I have to go. There's a party-...Crazy Pete-"
"That weird werewolf guy from the subway?"
"Yeah....He invited me to a party. Tons of fun with Fables and some mundies-"
"Probably should report that shit to Mary."
"What? None of them know we're Fables-...God, since when did you become such a goddamn killjoy?"
Jackson grumbled on the other side of the phone. "I'm not a killjoy! I'm just...." She heard him sigh. "I need to go. I have have lunch with the in-laws."
"Have fun, killjoy," She tried to put as much hurt into the word as she could. But the phone had already hung up. She tossed it on the counter, not caring if the screen cracked or not. She picked her bag up, zipped her jacket, and was out of the apartment in probably 5 seconds flat.
So I'm combining my challenge with this new story ^-^ This is actually really fun to write! Tell me what you think in the comments below
Any questions, I'll answer!
Gren took advantage. The apartment was left for his own entertainment purposes. He searched Robert's CD collection and didn't find the 'right' tune. His ipod was no good as well and Gren decided to search the internet. He had heard of this youtube; mundies would post hillarious, crude or just plan random videos of the strangest things.
He used it for the variety of mucis radios or itunes did not have. He typed in a name and before he knew it, the living room was filled with the angelic singer's voice.
'Come on over, come on over baby. Come on over, come on over baby.'
Gren grabbed a pillow, threw himself on the couch and was taken away in the mind of his own imagination. Gren was secretly a Christina Aguilera fan; he'd never tell anyone this, not even Robert, due to losing his tough interior and 'bad boy' reputation. He, however, had his moment of weakness and THIS was it.
'All I want is you-come on over, come on over baby.'
Gren grabbed the remote and flipped through the channels. Nothing. NEVER anything worth watching on the weekends except for reruns.
"Boring." Gren turns the television off and tosses the remote to the side. "Man...Robert has NOTHING to do! How the hell can Lyla STAND coming over here?"
Gren's moment of peace would end; Robert and Lyla, slamming the door behind them, quickly locked the door and ran to the kitchen.
"Damn. THAT hungry." Gren peered over the couch. "Smells good. Did you get me-"
"John is out there."
"Who?"
Lyla paced around the living room. She was sweating around her brow and heart thumping widly inside her chest.
"MY DAD!"
"Here!?" Gren rushed up from his seat. "SHIT-means that posse of his ain't to fucking far, neither!"
"Calm down, Gren!" Robert looks outside the window. "We picked up his scent and-"
"You nuts!?" Gren grabs Lyla's arm. "He's here for HER-give Lyla back and-"
"Let go, Gren! You're hurting my arm!"
"Everybody relax!" Robert slams his fist down on the counter. It causes the paper bag and salt shaker to bounce. "Just....shut the fuck up for a minute."
Gren begins to panic; Lyla can see his glamour slowly fade, as his gray skin and spikes show through. Fear and anger made Gren's glamour fade like paper in water-sturdy but easily fell to pieces in your hand.
"He's going to fucking take us away, man! I just fucking know it, Robert! He's...he's going to take us away and we are finished! That's it!"
Before Robert could responde to Gren, there was a trembling knock at the door. All three stood in their place and waited. Seemed like the only thing possible at that moment. Robert and Lyla held each other's hands; Lyla, nervous as it was, was begining to feel ill and needed the restroom.
Again, another thunderous knock. "Robert Grendel-I know this is your apartment. Can't mask that Grendel smell, boy."
"Go away, Wolf!" Gren tosses a bottle at the door. It shatters. "She's not fucking here!"
"Gren?" John seems surprised. "Just give me Lyla and I'll go-"
"No!" Robert held Lyla back, as if John was right in front of him. "She's not going anywhere, John! She didn't do anything wrong!"
"Robert, please-we have rules and regulations to follow! You boys can get into serious trouble if the Council-"
"Council can suck my left testicle, sir! You're NOT taking Lyla!"
They all heard John sigh heavily. "Robert, please-I understand your feelings and I'm sorry. I truly am but Lyla NEEDS to return home."
"I said NO, John!" Lyla was shocked by Robert's forceful behavior. "No..."
Lyla, now pressed against his chest, the very familiar growl of a Grendel: deep, powerful and intimidating. Robert's glamour, too, was fading away; soon, he would be a mighty beast, with rage filled feelings for the man outside the door. Lyla looked around and noticed Gren. For once, he seemed worried and fearful. He was stuck between a tough decision. His brother or freedom.
Lyla's fingers touched the nubs forming along his spine and shoulders. Soon they would be piercing weapons and dangerous assets. Robert's teeth began changing into sharp fangs and his jaw expanding. Robert was prepared for battle and fight for Lyla. Usually, a female would be pleased by their choice of honor and showcase of affection. But Lyla knew better and only blood shed would come from this.
"Robert, stop-"
"Open the door, Gren." His command felt like ice pricking her skin. "Now..."
Gren obeyed his brother and soon, John was standing under the doorway and a few feet from his daughter. Trembling, Lyla whispered to forgive her foolish father and leave the old Wolf be; her father was a proud and powerful Wolf but his age was beginning to show. His chestnut hair turning gray, lines forming around his lips and strength slowly decaying.
John, however, stood very still. His fist clentched, snarling lips and eyes changing. Hair formed along his arms and jaw. Gren backed into a nearby corner; this was not his fight and refused to participate. The less, the better.
"Robert, no!" Lyla begged the now changed man. "PLEASE! We don't have to do this!"
"Move sweetie..." Nearly whispering his demands, Robert walked forward.
John remained very still. "Robert, I don't want to fight you. Just give me Lyla and we can all forget this ordeal."
"The Council has no right keeping her away from me."
"Yes they do, Robert. You KNOW the rules. I'm sorry but I must stand my ground and remain-"
"A Puppet on a string, John, because that's what you are right now."
John began to breath heavily, as the beasts circle the tiny apartment. Another male, an Alpha according to Robert's stature, was challenging him. With Wolves, it was simple: he was in charge of his pack, his female and their offspring. He was ranked higher than any other member in the community, beside a handful before him. He was responsible for the safety and well being of his pack. Now, one was in danger.
"Robert....I'm giving you ONE last chance-GIVE me Lyla."
Lyla stood in front of the men. "I'll go, I'll go! Daddy, please-robert, just stop now! You CAN'T win this!"
John was particulary fast and quick on his toes. He could hear Robert's breathing, the grinding of his teeth; Robert, too, had to rely on his senses and heard the rippling of John's movement. He was battling. No other option.
Robert crouches to the ground, his face turned at John. John snapped at Robert, trying to latch his teeth into Robert's neck. Robert nearly avoided this attack. His lips were pulled back, fangs bared and eyes threatning. The snapping continued. Robert lunged at John, now in full Wolf form.
"DADDY, no! ROBERT!"
Gren was alarmed to see his brother decide on violence. He noticed the mark and it made sense. Although Lyla did not feel or comprehend his feelings, Robert was simply fighting for his mate and his right as an Alpha. Robert pins John against the floor. His claws swing and plunge deep into John's shoulder. The beast yelps in severe pain. The red liquid pours from the wound and onto the floor.
The intense copper smell seemd to trigger Robert's rage and before John was on his feet, Robert charges into the Wolf and plants his forehead into the rib cage. John rolls to the other side of the room. Standing back up, John glares at Robert.
"Robert...I'm going to warn you ONE last time..."
"I already made up my mind!"
It felt like a slow motion moment in a movie. Lyla and Gren watched their beloved family members ready to lock and fight until the bitter end. John's mighty paws lifted up from the ground, dark claws extended and ready to dig into flesh and bone. Robert, a towering gray beast with spikes and determination, charged at John, claws ready and the taste of blood consuming his logic.
Lyla knew there was only one thing to do at that moment.
"Gren, we have to stop them!"
"You're fucking insane, Lyla!"
"If we don't, they'll kill each other! NOW!"
Gren huffs. "Fine but you fucking owe me, Smith."
As they reach number three, Gren and Lyla ran in front of their loved ones. Lyla had her arms up, while Gren used his body as a wall.
"DADDY STOP!"
John and Robert came to a screeching hault. "LYLA!" John barked her name. "Get out of the way!"
"NO!" Lyla pushes her father back. "I said stop! This is foolish and you know better! What Alpha does this? Shame on you!"
With his tail between his legs, John cowers in the corner. Although Lyla was not his alpah female, she was still an important member to his pack. Robert, too, was controlled by Gren's strength and agility. Still in his true form, Gren wrestles his brother to the ground.
"You need to fucking relax, Robert! The fuck is wrong with you!?"
That sun symbol. The marking.
"Gren-"
"Snap out of it, Robert! I'm not going to have you either tossed to the Farm or handed over to the Folkers. CALM DOWN!"
John and Robert returned to their human forms. Each took a minute to clean their wounds. Neither one of them said a word. Lyla only grabbed John's arm and walked out the door. She said nothing. Not one word.
"Lyla-" Robert tried reaching for Lyla. "Come back! Come back!"
"Stop, Robert. Put your hand down...let her go."
Gren's words caused Robert to heave over and fall into sorrow. The mark on his arm burned like the sun on his bare skin. It stung and caused his mind to spin. He didn't mean to lose control like that. He was only trying to defend his mate. Why couldn't she see that?
Lyla never returned; she and John, still bleeding around his neck, were headed home. They'd have a lot to explain to the Council. John remained inaudible the further they drove towards the Manor. Lyla watched as Fabletown and Robert vanished into a line of lights and skyscrapers.
Lyla's heart was heavy. She knew what had to be done.
,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,Any questions or comments, please leave them below!
I enjoy hearing your remarks and such! Oh Alphas and their egos. XD
*Down time *
The next day....
Makoto woke up got dressed and headed out, he was pissed off due to the fact that not only was his technical mother was dead but he couldn't listen to music anymore because his headphones broke. But while he was walking down the hall his real mother Naoto, walked to visit him.
"Naoto? What're you doing here?" Makoto asked, he was confused at this point she had abandoned him and was at the farm.
"What do you mean Makoto? I always come by in the morning unless I get called in for work." She explained "Oh here is a new pair of headphones by the way." Handing him the gift. "I hope you like them! I had the company make one more of this type of headphones."
They were really weird, the left side was shorter than the right...
"Here. The right side is going to go around the back of your neck and the rest should be self explanatory, you don't even have to unplug them you just take them off and put them on your chest." She explained.
Makoto hugged her "Thanks mom."
"You know I hate titles like that....but I'll let it slide" she smiled and hugged back. "Do you want to take about Rose?" She asked
"I...." He hesitated but then reassured himself "Yeah sure."
That made her happy, they walked down the hallway and bumped into Snow. They chatted and she tagged along to reminisce with them.
"You know she smiled but she truly smiled when you were with her Makoto." Snow said
"You think?" He replied
"Of course." Naoto said continuing "I think that's how it's been for all of us when you were growing up."
"Agreed." Snow said "You reminded me of little TJ before he and his father were killed...I still have the bug he gave me." She frowned
"I'm sorry Snow." Makoto said
They talked for what seemed hours as it was now evening. Naoto and Snow went back to work while Makoto went out. When he left the woodlands he threw on his new headphones and listened to Burn My Dread by Yumi Kawamura. WhIle walking the streets even after talking about Rose he still felt sad and depression. So he decided he would find the killer himself. WhIle walking down the street he saw Detective Clara looked happy and satisfied, Makoto just looked away.
As Makoto thought he found a great place to start, the Trip Trap. So he walked over to the bar thankfully not having many customers. When he walked in it was Gren and a handful of other guys with Molly running the bar. Gren looked over and saw Makoto.
"Hey kid! C'mon over and have a seat!" He smiled.
It was weird, when Makoto last saw Gren he had attacked him in an alley, but he sat down anyways.
"Hey Gren, say you know what Rose was doing the night she was killed?" Makoto asked
"She was throwing a big party with a bunch of mundys." Gren said.
Makoto made a mental note of that and asked the man next to Gren.
"Nope I just got here yesterday." The man said.
"C'mon Ross quit being so uptight and relax!" Gren said.
"Sorry, Cops always give me chills." Ross said "they always think I've done something stupid."
Gren and Ross started getting off topic so Makoto decided to leave.
It was now nighttime and he was at the gate of the woodlands when he saw someone out of the corner of his eye. She was hiding in the bushes.
He crossed his arms "You better get off the lawn, Snow will kill you."
"I am sorry." The woman said, but she sounded like a robot.
He was about to speak but she dashed off before he could say a single word. He just shook his head and went up to his room to sleep it off.
Somewhere else.
"Things are starting to pick up around here...that stupid bitch I wanted to raise him but they just insisted on it being the four of them. Oh well! I win in the end. I just need to tie off some loose ends." She smirked and chuckled......
That's it! Sorry I had to do one that was sort of not continuing much. I have to get my wisdom teeth out tomorrow so I didn't want to start with the super important stuff and not do anything on it just in case I'm out for like four days in excruciating pain XD. Any questions or comments let me know!
also I put some hints in as to who may have killed Rose, and also references to the wolf among us and my older stories as well 
one more thing if you a wondering about the headphones that Makoto gets they are ATH-EQ300M headphones they are pretty awesome. I got them when Persona 3 came out which sorta advertised the headphones sigh oh Sony, anyways yup I think that just about sums it up! XD apologies again!
"How about this one? It's a lovely townhome with four bedrooms and three bathrooms. A very spacious backyard with plenty of room to hold family functions or let the little ones play."
A tall brunette woman with a clipboard held her hands out in the direction of a semi-new house. Gren and Emily examined the area and home. Since their house hunting began a week ago, this was number thirteen. Gren had no idea Emily was a picky person and had a knack for scouting out the littlest imperfections.
He couldn't blame her. She was now three months pregnant and rapidly growing.
"How safe is this bloody place?"
"Oh very!" The cheery real estate agent leaned against the 'for sale' sign. "This is a very secure neighborhood with friendly neighbors and everyone involved in-"
"Don't bloody like it."
"What?" The Agent seemed muddled. "You don't like what, ma'am?"
"People gettin' into me business."
"Well, uh-" She began to chew on the tip of her pen. "What I meant to say was, the neighbors like to look out for one another, you see."
Gren tries to reassure Emily. "Tha'ts actually not a bad idea, Emily. We want the kids to be safe and trust those-"
"Nope." Emily waddled away from Gren and the Agent. "I bloody said no, so NO it is!"
Gren sighed. He critically needed a place to call home and fast; six months goes by awfully quick and he wanted to settle in and set up the nursery before the time came for the little ones.
"I appreciate the look. We'll call you if anything changes."
Handing Gren her business card, the Agent leaves. Gren enters the truck and starts the engine. Looking over, Emily rubs her feet and ankles.
"You alright, Ems?"
"Me fooking feet hurt...and back....and everything else."
"Didn't like the house?"
"Not really, no."
Gren pulled out of the parking space and returned to the blacktop streets of Fabletown. The sun was high above the truck. With the windows down, a gentle gust of wind blew in and helped cool off the two passengers inside the vehicle. It was warming up and fast.
Gren reaches over to grab Emily's hand. "Don't worry, sweetie. We'll find a place."
Emily grinned and looked outside the window. The smell of grease and baked goods was making her hungry. It caused one of the babies to move inside, causing emily some discomfort. Sit still, she thought. Not just yet. Give mommy a chance to relax.
"You hungry?"
Emily paused to think about that answer. She was indeed hungry; starving, if she could use that to describe her current state and thought what sounded delicious. Lately she was a burger and fry kind of gal with the occasional fish. Last night, the babies demanded fish and Emily sent Gren to the store. He brought her three pounds of Salmon, Scallops and some Crab legs.
Today, she was in a burger mood. "Yes. I am fookin' hungry."
"What are you in the mood for?"
"Mcdonald's. A Big Mac with extra sauce and Pickles..."
Gren pulled into the nearest Mcdonald's drive thru. He was behind three other vehicles. Scanning the menu, he noticed Emily's hand rubbing the side of her belly. He placed his right hand in the middle and swore he felt a tiny kick. I three days he was going to find out not only the sex but the types Emily was carrying.
Rosie wanted to attend the appointment as well. Emily couldn't say no. Gren knew she was coming by later for a visit, so her ordered some extra food just in case.
"Make sure they put extra sauce and Pickles on mine."
"You got it, Ems."
"Lots of ketchup. And Sweet n' Sour sauce."
Gren looks over at Emily. "You have to get Nuggets if you want the sauce."
"Since when the fook did ya' HAVe ta' buy bloody chicken fookin' nuggets?!"
"For awhile now. If not, they charge you-"
Emily was in dire need for her sweet and tangy fix. If it wasn't grease, the babies wanted sweet, sour or tangy. The other day she sat on the couch, sucking a Lemon and eating Honey with a spoon. Pregnancy was an odd experience for Emily.
"Fine...get me the sauce regardless. These little fookas' need their fix."
Gren pulls up to the machine and orders their meal: Two Big Macs for Emily with extra sauce and Pickles, large fry and coke. Two Mcdoubles, no onion, large fry and Dr. Pepper for Gren and three McChickens if Rosie decided to have a snack during her visit. Gren paid for their meal, handed the bags to Emily and headed back to the apartment.
The aroma of salt and grease left Emily's mouth watering and her fingers slowly creeping to the bag. The fries were calling her name but before she could react on her sodium fix, they arrived to the apartment. Gren assisted Emily with the food and carefully walked up the stairs. Twice Emily had to pause and catch her breath.
"Ya' think they'd fookin' fix that bloody elevator by now."
"I've asked the landlord. I'll call in the morning again and see what's up."
"Ugh. Me bloody back and ankles hurt."
Walking up the steps, Gren uses his free hand to rub Emily's shoulders and back. The other night, she had a difficult time sleeping. Hopefully tonight would be better. Gren opened the door and placed the food on the counter. Emily grabbed one of the bags and tore into it.
"Your burgers should be in little boxes-"
Before he could finish, Emily was on the couch. Her feet propped up with three pillows and an enormous body pillow behind her. Emily licked her lips and opened the top.
"OHHH fook...this is heaven in me bloody hands."
Emily lifted the bun to inspect her burger.
"Thos mutha' fuckas'!"
Gren took a bite from his burger. "What is it-"
"They....forgot...me bloody FOOKIN' Pickles!"
Gren became fearful. Emily was a vicious creature when it came to food but now feeding four more mouths, it tripled.
"No it should be! You heard me-"
"I KNOW, I was fookin' there..."
"We have Pickles in the fridge. I can cut you up some and-"
"It's not the fookin' SAME, Gren!"
"Alright, alright-just hand me the burger and-"
"Did they at LEAST give me the sauce?"
Gren tosses three packets in her direction. "Yup. Sweet n' Sour, just how you like it."
Emily leanes into the couch and left it at that. Gren sighed heavily and continued to eat.
"Woot time is Rosie coming by?"
"In three hours."
"My brothers MIGHT come by?"
"Peter and Ethan?"
"AND Junior. Mary, too. Guess I'm the flavor of the month in this town-Emily Porgie is pregnant?! GASP!"
"Well, you can't blame them, sweetie."
Emily leaned forward and grabbed her phone. Flipping through the real estate websites, she looked at different homes in the Fabletown community. Bigby offered to help build a home; Peter, Ethan, her father and even her grandfather felt open air and sunshine would be good for the babies. Emily would make that decision in time.
"We're in fookin trouble if one of these little shits are a YOU, Gren."
Gren chuckled, dipping his fry into ketchup. "Well, is your belly hard anywhere?"
It was. While in the shower that morning, she noticed a lump and hard spot around her pelvis bone. One so far.
"Right here."
"We got a Grendel."
Emily laughs. "Could be just gas, ya' know."
Gren, finished with his food, kisses Emily's head as he heads kitchen to toss his trash away. He did not notice the Georgie look alike or Mary sitting in the room next to the kitchen. Mary could not hold it back. Tossing a shoe in his direction, Gren looks over.
"The fuck? How did you-"
"What is it, love? Emily tries to peek over. "What do you-"
"It's your brother and he brought his pet."
Mary flips Gren off and punches the arm with the scar left by Beowulf.
"Go back to your swamp, Grendel."
Mary plops down beside Emily and rubs her belly.
"DAMN, girl-look at you!"
"Where are the kids?"
"I have a long time friend watching them for us. Junior and I wanted to stop and see these little bundles of joy."
"Well, 'ere they are. Right were Gren left em'."
Junior pretends to gag. "You find out their gender in a week?"
"Three days, actually."
Mary continues to rub. "Got any names?"
"We actually do." Gren pulls out his phone. "For a boy, depending on how many, we were going with Liam, Miles, Caleb or Ryder and for the girls, Chloe, Alessana, Arabella and Seraphina."
"Wow. Those names, Gren."
Junior pats Emily's knee. "I like em'. Unique like we are."
But the celebration had to come to a pause; Emily needed to pee and was having a difficult time getting up and moving to the bathroom. Luckily, Gren was on his feet and ready to take Emily. Sitting on the toilet, she leaned back and sighed.
"UHHHHH FOOOOOK YEEEEEEEES!"
Gren laughs. "You're too much, Ems. I love you, though."
Her moments of alone time using the restroom were dwendling down. Soon, she'd have four little mischevious babies following her and exploring every crevice they could find.
Bring it.
Can't....sleep....damn you...any questions, you know the drill. Going to focus on Emily for a bit. Too excited about her pregnancy and want to have fun with this.
Plus, an excuse to draw pregnant Emily and all their babies. 
Next part of Cat and Mouse, enjoy.
Chapter Three
The hunt
"Shit!" Lyall swore, quickly crawling through the air vents, the occasional silver bullet nearly striking him as Scarlett fired bullet after bullet. Where the hell does one get so many silver bullets? Do they sell them for a dollar dozen at the market?!
"Come out and face me Wolf!" Scarlett screamed. "There's no escape!"
As quick as he could Lyall crawled through the vent, barely ahead of the gunshots trailing behind him. His heart raced, palms grew sweaty, his hands shook. Fuck... as if Scarlett wasn't enough throw a building full of succubus and incubuses, charming, beautiful, smart and could allure anyone and certainly knows what it takes it get into your pants. Flora scents of roses and violets filled his nose, he clenched his jaw and continued to quickly crawl through the vents. Why must scent be an easy way to tempt him? He blamed it on his father's side, wolves or any canine for that matter had such a keen and powerful sense of smell... and that most certainly didn't help him now.
The flowery scent was getting to him, his head was pounding, temptation grew with each second.
"Damn it!" he swore covering his nose with his hand. Scrambling down the vent until...
CRASH!
Well it certainly proved he underestimated just how worn down this building really was. Maybe he should had paid attention to the cracks among the ceilings and walls and the rust in the vents. 'Take the vents they said...' he thought angrily. 'Scarlett will never see you coming they said.'
He as well as a few bits of ceiling and metal scrapes of the vent came tumbling harshly onto the ground. On the bright side the flora scent faded, bad news was the ever so familiar scent of vanilla and sickening silver filled the air. Scarlett stood before him, arms crossed, gun in her right hand,her lips pursed as she looked at him. Like Lyall was gum she discovered to be sticked underneath her desk.
"Any last words?" she sneered, giving the chambers of her gun a playful twirl.
"Ah.... Did it hurt when you fell from heaven?" he shrugged.
Scarlett frowned and aimed her gun at his head. Lyall ducked just in the nick of time to miss the bullet before scrambling to his feet and dashing off down the vast and seemingly endless hallways of the building.
Clenching her fist Scarlett turned to the creatures who now just caught up with her.
"Get him!" she ordered and then the chase was on.
XXX
Damn it, damn it, damn it! How dare Lyall even have the nerve show the mug of his face around here. How dare he! Scarlett already had his murder perfectly written in her head, and it most certainly did not play out with him making the first move and being a sneaky little. Her idea of the perfect death and revenge included a straight up fight, no glamour or silly spells, true form, and no holding back. But of course karma was never on her blasted side... Throwing her longing for the perfect revenge aside she just wanted things to go her way for once, according to plan or not.
She ran down the hallways, kicking down locked doors in search of Lyall. This fucking Wolf, if she wasn't the death of him she swear to the heavens he would be the death of her. Kicking down a fourth door to once again reveal an empty office yet again.
"Fucking hell..." she grumbled, her ears picked up on an extra sound of footsteps slip pass down sit her hallway. "Got you now Wolfie." she whispered her herself, a cocky smirk on her lips as she ran down the opposite hallway to a mirror, one of the few that lingered in the building since her arrival. Anywhere Lyall could go she could be there faster. She reached out to the mirror's reflective surface, ready to pull herself through and face Lyall without all this stealth business.
Thump!
It took her moment to process what had happened. Rubbing the spot where she slammed her face against the mirror... wait a second slammed?! That wasn't supposed to happen! What was suppose to happen was that she could easily pull herself through with ease! She pressed her hand against the mirror, trying to enter... but at last nothing.
"For fucks sake!" she hissed now banging her fist against the mirror,Still no entrance. "What the hell?!"
"Er... Miss Scarlett?" a succubus timidly approached her. "I... I found this while searching a room." she handed her a small yellow sticky note.
Dear Scarlett,
Thanks for the files.
From Lyall.
Ps : The fake mirrors are a gift from my Dad Bigby Wolf.
She crumpled the note in her grip before throwing on the ground harshly, bringing her boot down to further damage the message Lyall left her. How dare he play her as a fool!
"I will know revenge, I AM REVENGE!" she shook her fist at the fake mirror before her. "I will destroy you Lyall Wolf, mark my words you revolting piece of scrum!" she cried in frustration.
XXX
"You think she's mad?" Bigby joked lighting up a cigarette as the taxi driver drove them down the streets.
"That we broke in the building and stoled a few files?" Lyall smirked. "I would certainly hope so, or else it's no fun." he handed the file to his dad. "Said something bout an upcoming snake and art buying event, sounds illegal and the date is pretty damn close... Figured that's where we're find Medusa next."
"Think Scarlett's gonna be there too?"
"I'll be damned if she isn't." Lyall rested his chin on his palm. "Why would Medusa even go to these things? She knows we're looking for her."
"Seems to me that she sees this as a game, and wants us to play...we ain't got any other leads, and knowing what a network Medusa has that HQ we visited is already being rearranged elsewhere...it's all we go and it's all we have to go on. You feeling up to it?" Bigby asked.
"Damn right I am, besides Scarlett would be upset if I wasn't." he mused coolly. "And I don't intend to disappoint her."
XXX
"Remember, dab don't wipe." Mouse informed bringing a wet cloth to a beige blazer, the greasy bean stain soon started to fade.
"Woman you are a lifesaver." Bradwr mused. "Now if only you had a burrito on you...do you?"
"No sorry... I have carrot sticks in my purse though."
"I'll pass, too healthy."
"I brought dinner." Bonnie declared, entering the room carrying a few boxes of Chinese takeout. "Figured you could use a little pick me up." she said handing a box to Bradwr.
"And this night takes a turn for the better." Bradwr chuckled happily.
"I would say you damn well earned it." Bonnie opened the box and happily helped herself to a chicken ball. "You adjusting to being around here okay?"
"Okay? This is fucking awesome." Bradwr said through a mouthful of rice. "There's so many Fables, like more then I can count, and that's pretty damn high."
"Didn't you get to socialize when you were with..." Bonnie paused, unsure how to word it correctly, without offending or bring up personal matters.
"Nah, we normally had to lay low." Bradwr replied. "Only time we really got to go out was when I sneaked off in the middle of the night, and most of the Fables and Mundies still up at that time ain't really looking for friendship. Just some handsome stranger to pay for their drinks." he ate another mouthful of rice. "Least it was something..."
"But your an adult now-"
"Or as my ex-wife liked to put it a child with a drinking permit." he interrupted.
"Why didn't you just leave?" Bonnie asked
Bradwr sighed, a shrug of his shoulders as he swallowed. "That's the thing Bons, I didn't know how. Had no job, no money, only thing keeping us alive was my dad and Medusa dropping it. That snake lady always liked Scarlett, gave her the finer things in life. Jewelry, clothing, sweets, wine, and whatever else she felt like Scarlett "needed". She was okay with, though she could survive on her own, she certainly has the brains."
"Oh...that's awful, I'm sorry." Mouse said.
"Nah, don't be. Ain't my problem now..." he tapped his chin. "Ya know... Maybe when this is over I'll stick around, this side of Fabletown is growing on me. I can see myself staying here for a long time."
Bonnie offered him a friendly smile. "I'm glad to hear that."
"Gotta get a job though...." he furrowed his brow in frustration. "Maybe I'll get into mechanics, fixing up cars and that shit. If Dad had some car that was basically junk he would let me dick around with it, pretty fun. I actually almost fixed one before it went in flames." he chuckled recalling such fond memories.
He was about to tell the other women about another story of his misadventures when it comes to messing around with cars, until the door opened. Revealing Bigby and Lyall.
"You're back." Mouse said looking at the father and son duo. "Are you two okay?"
"Scrapes and bruises but that's about it." Lyall informed plopping himself down in a chair. "Nothing a cigarette and a shot of whiskey can't cure." he looked at Bradwr. "Did I miss anything?"
"I just learned not to eat a burrito in the office."
"Good for you." Lyall replied.
"You found anything in that place?" Bonnie asked.
"Just that Medusa is planning to attend another one of her illegal parties." Bigby said then raised an eyebrow at Bonnie and Mouse. "What are you two even doing here?"
"I got bored and called Bonnie, and Mouse knew how to remove grease stains." Bradwr stated.
"I...I should be going..." she got up.
"Nonsense, stay. Bradwr most likely blabbed everything to you anyway." Lyall huffed.
"You know me so well." Bradwr mused happily. "It's like we're soulmates."
"Don't get your hopes up." he scoffed.
"Don't worry, your not what I'm looking for in a lover."
"Considering what happened to your last one I'm going to count myself as lucky." Lyall lit up a cigarette. "So, tomorrow night we attend that party, eat their food and try to arrest Medusa?"
"Only problem is how we're getting in their unnoticed." Bigby stated.
"Oh that's easy, wear a mask!" Bradwr informed as he chewed an egg roll. "Medusa's usually buying from the artsy fartsy kind of crowd. Slip on a mask and you're get in their unnoticed long as you don't draw attention to yourself."
"Now there's just a matter of getting tickets to get in..." Bigby rested his chin in his palm. "Don't suppose any of you are good at forging?"
"Oh I can!" Mouse's hand shot up.
"Wait... how can you..." Lyall started to ask. "Never mind I don't want to know."
XXX
And there we go, third part is done! Not much to say.
Should have the next chapter up soon, I'm really looking forward to it.
I liked Peter and Ethan but well....I already said it in the PM.
Emily being rather picky is very interesting to see, consider her personality before the babies. Her turning down every home made me chuckle. Then her cravings; lemons, honey and grease. Waiting for her to do something weird like sauerkraut on pizza. XD
And Rosie.
so glad she stuck around and is excited about her siblings. Those are indeed unique names; Seraphina is the fav from the girls side and Liam from the boys. Excited to see the genders and how many here are!
And Mary. And Junior. XD loves these two. Looking forward to more. Emily is going to have an interesting pregnancy.
Also, Happy Birthday!!
Lol, I do, no need to worry. And thanks!
Nice to see B.M. making a comeback after all these chapters. XD And damn your Fables going to Mickey D's every single time it seems like. :P
EDIT: And Happy B-day!
LOL @ Crazy Pete from the subway. This was a very interesting mix of wit and sadness. I adored this chapter, and Bertha too. I know I won't be forgetting that one for a while. XD
Georgie's got a real look in his eyes on that bottom left panel of the last page - it's very eye-catching (pardon the pun, so to speak). Also, I like how the only colour in these is the red streak in Mary's hair, the red of Junior's vest and the mark on his back, as it ties the two character's together visually.
Emily taking one for her brother is really kind of her! She's definitely one you want to have in your corner, is that Emily. 
It appears to be your birthday! So, Happy Birthday!! Have a great one.
I had a comment from a reader over at DA that she was pleased to see Georgie remain in character; he has that look in his eyes, no matter what mood he's in. As Lyla calls it, the 'Porgie' look; something Emily, Junior and Penelope seem to do very well. I'm still low on flesh tones and my fiancee made the same comment while I inked these up. The red and black gives the pages a little something extra.
And Emily was always one to look out for her siblings and family. Very loyal.
Also, thank you for the birthday wishes. I plan on having a wonderful time; fiancee has a day planned for me (won't say WHAT) so have that to look forward to. 
BM will be around a lot in these chapters, seeing as Gren and Emily made her the godmother to one of the kids. And my Fables ARE huge fans of McDonalds....and Burger King....and anything hamburger related. xD
And thank you for the birthday wishes!
I took what you said into consideration; I do need to write more 'cheerful' stories and this will give me a great excuse. Plus, Emily pregnant....:D
You wouldn't think so but Emily is rather picky when it comes to certain things. Homes being one of them. She better hurry, thou, because those babies are coming soon! Also, I never wanted to get rid of Rosie. The boys have choosen to ignore Gren but not her. She loves Gren, despite him not being the biological father. I too enjoy Seraphina.
Like I mentioned to Dragon, BM will be around a lot more, considering they named her the godmother to one of the babies.
Junior and Mary stayed for a few more minutes before leaving the apartment the very same way the came in: through the mirror. Gren stood before the large mirror hanging in their bedroom.
"I should REALLY cover that damn thing up."
Emily sprawled out on the couch. She took the remainder of her fries and dipped them in ketchup. To her, McDonald's had THE best tasting ketchup in the entire universe. Hands down. No competition. Vivian sat on the edge.
"Want one?"
"You know I can't eat, Emily."
Emily chuckles. "Ya' wanna sniff it at least?"
Gren walks into the living room, notepad and pen in hand. He glared over at Emily.
"Who are you talking to sweetie?"
Emily had a terrible habit of forgetting she could only see Vivian. She would eventually tell Gren; if he chose to label her insane and unstable, well, that was a bridge they would cross. In the meantime, she had to think of some excuse to the man standing before her.
"The babies, love." Good idea she thought. "The little buggas'."
Gren beams. He plants his right cheek against Emily's warm belly. Closing his eyes, Gren pictures four tiny infants growing inside of his girlfriend. The idea that something so precious was happening deep within. That he, of all the people in this shit hole town, participated in creating such beloved treasures. Gren was a father-to-be and he couldn't have been moe proud.
"Just three more days, Emily."
"What do ya' think they are? And fookin' tell me the truth."
Gren ponders this question. "Well...I was thinking two of each and a good variety of Fables."
"Mary has a fookin' game made out of this pregnancy."
Gren laughs, continuing to rub Emily's belly. "Mary makes a game out of taking a fucking shit."
"She has me whole entire family in on the bloody game-the genders, their personality-even the bloody color of their eyes and hair!"
"I can honestly care less what they look like. As long as the four of them have ten fingers, ten toes, happy and are healthy, I can care less."
"Well, so far ONE is a Grendel. So, hopefully it has claws, webbed feet and spikes. It ain't gunna rip me a new one, will it?"
Typical Emily, thought Gren, trying not to giggle at her comment. Grendel babies were indeed the most difficult pregnancy to endure, right next to Giants and even Gnomes. Grendels, however, had a different process during this time and if the mother did not have knowledge of these changes, it was stressful and even dangerous. Emily was prepared; since she learned of the pregnancy, her nose was always buried in the book Swineheart gave her.
"It won't fucking rip you open, Emily."
"Oh yeah?" Emily flips through the pages until she game to the middle of the book. "Look at this fookin' woman-notice the painful look in her bloody eyes? See how WIDE she needs to be? Look at that little fookin bastard right 'ere-SEE!? He be rippin' her bloody Vagina open!"
Emily shoves the picture into Gren's face. "Sweetie, it varies. You know that."
Emily slams the book shut. "This be ya' fault, ya' dirty fookin' bastard!"
Vivian laughs. Watching Emily thrash in her spot and threaten Gren became the highlight of her day. Emily tried to swing a punch in Gren's direction but failed when it slammed into the couch.
"Relax, Ems." Gren kisses her belly. "You'll set them off."
While mumbling to herself, there was a tiny knock at the door. Emily's little brown and black Chihuahua, Puddles, runs to the door and begins barking. Gren stands up and heads for the door.
"Ah shutup, ya' fucking rat."
Puddles continues to yipp. Standing there, with a case of donuts, is Rosie.
"Hey dad."
"Rosie Posie." Gren embraces Rosie, nearly crushing her in the making. "My baby-"
"Dad, you're hurting my body and crushing the donuts."
"Oops! Sorry sweetie."
Entering the apartment, Rosie immediatly detects Pumpkin candles and Mr. Bubbles. Since moving in, Emily made sure the place smelled fresh, clean and felt like home. Gren's bottle collection was recycled, new furniture and all household appliances fixed to work properly. She gave Puddles a quick pat on the head, placed the donuts on the counter and removed her shoes. Emily and her 'no shoe' rule. Just like Lyla.
"Place looks beautiful, Emily. You did a great job."
Emily holds her hand up. "Ya' hear that, Gren? Think me fookin' idea ta' light those candles and add a little color ta' this place a bad idea?"
"I never had an issue with the candles, Ems. It was those damn drapes you picked out. Cheetah-how original."
Rosie laughs, as she took her seat beside Emily. Squealing with delight, Rose leans forward and rubs Emily's belly.
"God how exciting! You ready?"
"When I push these little fookas' out, THEN I'll be ready."
"How is the house searching doing?"
Gren grabs the chicken sandwiches and offers one to Rosie. She accepts one along with a coke.
"Emily is being difficult-"
"Fine! Let's just move where eva' the fook ya' want Gren! How 'bout the bloody ghetto, huh?"
Rosie dips her sandwich into ketchup, trying to think of places in Fabletown.
"Have you looked everywhere? What about that really nice place over on SunnyHills?"
Gren cocks his eyebrow. "I'm not made of fucking money, Rosie. Those places are expensive."
"Well, I know Peter mentioned building you a home-"
"Near the fookin' Farm? No thank ya'!"
Rosie pats Emily's belly. "I know....mommy is being stubborn again."
Gren grabs the notepad and watches Rosie continue to love on her siblings. She was looking forward to being a big sister again. Rosie did very with kids and Gren was proud his daughter chose a career involving children.
"I'm going to the Cut Above to stock up. Need anything?"
"Craving meat, Emily?"
"Yup. Stratin' ta' think we MAY have a Wolf in here."
Gren examines the list. "I have four Hams, twenty pounds of Flank steak, ten pounds of Turkey breast, thirty pounds of Salmon and an Ostrich."
"Wow." Rosie had never heard of a person ordering that much food. "That's a lot..."
"Most of it will be stored. We won't eat ALL of this but soon, the babies will be eating soilds and well...you know."
Emily could not think of anything. "If I do think of anything, I'll call ya'."
Gren grabs his jacket and keys. He kisses Emily, rubs her belly one last time and hugs Rosie.
"I'll be back. Don't do TOO much, ladies."
Emily waves. "Get the fook outta here. Love ya'."
"Love you more." Gren blows a kiss. "Be back soon."
Gren leaves, leaving Emily and Rosie alone. (If only Rosie knew about Vivian; there would be three instead of two.) Emily grabs the remote and changes the channel.
"Come sit with me, Rosie. It's Shark Week. Wanna fookin' see people be eaten' by killa' monsters?"
Rosie chuckles. "Sure, Emily....whatever you say."
She would regret that decision. Emily laughed hysterically at a man being devoured by a large Great White. Rosie was trying her best to avoid throwing up; Vivian couldn't stand to see anymore carniage and destruction.
Hopefully the babies would prefer Barney. Hopefully.
Any questions, you know the drill. Birthday is today and the misses and I have a day planned ahead of us. Don't know WHAT yet bit excited for it.
"Ava! Ava welcome to tha' party!" Crazy Pete's voice echoed in the abandoned subway room. This part of Fabletown....well, it wasn't exactly part of Fabletown at all. It was owned by the one and only, the crazy Lyncanthrope who had a fascination with mingling with the wrong people.
Ava fistbumped his hand as she walked by, poking her hands in her pockets directly afterward and pulling out her cellphone. There were a few missed calls from her mother, that was to be expected. She hadn't thought her brother would call or text back, though. A few messages that said he was 'Sorry' and that he wanted to mend things before bed tonight. Sometimes he was such a wuss, it made Ava gag.
She undid the zipper to her jacket, since the heat down there was unbearable. Normally, the gates would be locked in this part of the subway, since it was non-functional and used in emergencies by the government. But Pete had his way around those things. He's been living in there since it officially closed down in the 70's. Ava enjoyed the beat-up feeling it emitted as her eyes adjusted to the mixture of strobe and neon lights. The dancefloor was crowded to the brim with a mixture of normal looking people and Fae and more animalistic in character. Yeah, her sister would shut that place down in a heartbeat.
Jack Horner, the local asshole, was bent over the pool table with ferocity in his eyes. She hated him almost as much as she hated the fact that she got her period every month. He was a constant gnat in everyone's ears and he was also constantly conning people into doing things they didn't want to do. The poor mundies, they get the worst of it. She caught him wink at her just as she moved on toward the bar.
Ah, the bar. She loved a good drink or two, or five. But she only got drunk in front of her boyfriend. Her dirty, rotten, no good-
Zelek purposefully bumped into her shoulder, his arms around his newest piece of meat. Ava felt her throat growl as they looked at each other for a split second. It took all the willpower in her body to hold back her words and her fist.
He was a mundane. Most people she found attractive were. Maybe it was their curiosity, or the fact that she knew something they didn't. All her life, she'd felt unable to compete with the Fable Children she grew up with. The Cratchits, the Wolf's, Even her sister Mary's son, or Prince Charming's daughter. She was officially the 'bottom' of the educated pile. Inferior. Except, she wasn't stupid. She was actually quite brilliant, when she wanted to be. She pushed through the crowd of people, reaching her usual band of misfits.
"Kelly, Fin," She said their names as she approached them. They couldn't hear her though, over the bass coming from the speakers in the DJ's booth. They too were also mundies. Just play things, in reality. Ava could never trust any of them with her true secrets or her real life. It just wouldn't work out.
"Yo!" Fin's deep voice projected into Ava's face. His dark skin seemed illuminated....almost....glowing. "I just had one of Pete's newer drinks at the bar! Everything is GLOWING babe!"
Ava rolled her eyes. Fairy juices. Pete was mixing fairy juices with the alcohol again. She looked to Kelly, with her red and purple colored hair. She had more piercing holes in her face than Ava could count on all of her fingers and toes. She almost never talked, which was expected. Really, all Ava did was talk with Fin, and Kelly would either nod in agreement or shake her head no.
"YOU need to TRY one!" Fin kept going on. There was no way in any layer of Hell that Ava was touching a single drink mixed by either Pete or his bar tender. They both tried to get you to drink shit that messed with your head. Luckily, she was friendly with both of them enough to be trusted behind the bar to get her own stuff out. Right now though, she couldn't be bothered to make her way all the way back. She just wanted to dance and have fun.
"I'll try one later," She replied, having to get near Fin's ear for him to hear.
"Come on! Loosen up!" Fin called out to her. "You look so tense right now, and like, I MEAN it! Doesn't she, Kell?"
Kelly nodded. Ava rolled her eyes again, looking past the faces of her temporary friends. Zelek was not far away, his lips practically eating the girl he was holding's face off. Ava shuddered slightly. Maybe he'd lied to her all along. Maybe he was a monster under that golden brown skin, waiting to eat her up like a snake but just waiting for the most opportune time. She didn't like to think that way, but she couldn't help it. Anyone in that room could turn out to be one of those....things that Jian-min killed that morning.
"Listen! I'll buy you a drink!" Fin said to Ava, though she barely heard him over her thought process. Before she knew it, he was dragging her to the bar, his hand slapping change onto the wood surface of the counter. Still dazed, Ava felt the cup enter her hands, cold and light honey colored in the light.
"Drink it! Drink it!"
"What is it?" She asked, though still wasn't quite there. All Ava could think about in that moment was Jian-min. The white haired boy with the thin, muscular body and the eyes of an angel.
Jian-min....
Her lips tasted the alcohol and it was as if time itself had ceased to exist.
Dun dun dun! Oh no she shouldn't have drank that :O More later, have homework :L School, God damn it!
Happy Birthday Georgie Porgie!
Emily talking to Viv so openly makes me crack up sometimes XD "Want to sniff it then?" It's hilarious! And her excuse for talking to herself was perfect too XD
It's so true XD So true! Oh Mary...
Their conversation is just perfect XD
Puddles the Chihuahua! I have to wonder why his name is Puddles XD
Just picturing this in my head was THE SWEETEST THING I HAVE EVER PICTURED! I can see Gren squeezing the life out of her like my Dad tries to do sometimes XD I literally wanted to cry happy tears reading it because it was so cute
This wasn't even a long chapter and I just keep finding parts that need highlighting XD
Sounds like a pregnant woman's type of outburst XD Combine it with Emily's normal personality, and you have a bomb on your hands XD
We can only hope XD I'm sure at least ONE will.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY MAN! HAVE FUN! Get some ice cream! Have a cake! Say 'Hi' to baby Emily for us! It's your birthday, you can cry if you want to! So cry, if you want to! XD I think that's enough of me for today!
Gren, hands in his jacket pockets, walked down the busy sidewalks and headed to the Butchers. Clutched in his right hand, was the crumpled paper of the many meats he would purchase for Emily. He eagerly turned the corner and held his head up high. Several passing mundies gave a slight nod to the man with one good eye. Gren returned the favor with a tilt and smile.
The sun rose higher and climbed to the very peaks of the buildings. The concrete jungle was flooded with groups of mundies and Fables alike. Gren passed by several coffee shops and decided to grab himself a soda. His throat was parched and since offering Rosie one, an ice cold Coke sounded wonderful. Popping the top and allowing the bubbling liquid to run down his throat, Gren reached his destination.
Johann was currently busy with one other customer. He waved to Gren. Gren gave a nod and leaned against the back window. The woman paid for her cuts, thanked Johann and walked out the store. Gren held the door open for the woman, who appeared to be rather pressed for time.
"Bless you, young man." The woman smiled at Gren and quickly walked down to her car.
Gren closed the door; the bells chimmed and rang against the force of the wind. Gren brought out his note and with one arm, leaned against the large glass box. Johann washed his hands, dried them and opened the glass door.
"So Grendel. What is miss Emily craving for today?"
Gren holds the note up. "Every damn piece of meat you got in this damn store."
Johann smiles. "Ah, sounds like she may have a little pup in there. Not to mention a Grendel."
"We prefer Fish to meat but the occasional bloody slab of cow carcass ain't too fucking bad neither."
Johann looks carefully at the note. By now, he was able to read Gren's terrible hand writing. He tried to perfect this necessery skill but Gren never could; in the centuries of roaming this earth, if he couldn't do it then, he sure as hell wasn't going to perform it now. Johann returns the note to Gren and enters the back room. Johann continues to hold the conversation.
"So, how is Emily doing?"
"Fine fine. Her ankles and lower back hurt but she swears it goes away in time. She felt a hard spot around her pelvis bone."
"The cocoon I'm assuming?"
"We will see in three days."
Johann returned to the front with the Hams, Steaks and an enormous bundle of Ostrich meat. Normally he never served the bird. Fables did not seem to fond of its unique taste or texture; some ocassionally enjoyed it barbequed or fried but was not requested very often. Since Emily's pregnancy, however, it was ordered every other three months or so. One, if not all of the babies seemed to have grown acustomed to the taste. Gren too was beginning to stomach down the bird.
"Well, make sure you find out EXACTLY what those little jelly beans are. You'd hate to not have something in stock."
Gren gathers some of the meat products. "Trust me, we are prepared. I have a personal storage of food JUST for the babies and Emily's midnight cravings. Just the other night I found her sitting on the couch chewing on a raw piece of meat."
"Sounds like my Penelope. When she was pregnant with the litter, she always had the craving for raw meat. Believe it or not, COOKED meat made her sick. Can you believe that?"
"I remember that."
Johann, like all the other family members, were excited for the newest editions. The idea that they would be birthed by Emily made the anticipation even greater. No one, especially Gren, thought Emily would have children. He suddenly pictured his beautiful Emily, wearing nothing and exposing her belly. This was her most gorgeous moment yet to him. Johann continued handing meat to Gren.
"What is this?" Gren lifts a dark red box. "I think you-"
"It's fresh Deer, Gren. The finest cuts of meat is right in there."
"But I didn't-"
"My neices and nephews might actually enjoy that cut. Deer meat is full of nutrients that little developing babies need to grow big and strong. They'll know its from uncle Johann."
Gren tucks the box under his arm. "Thanks Johann. How much do I owe you?"
"A barbeque and some of that delicious Potato Salad your Emily knows how to make."
"Seriously, Johann-how much do I owe you?"
Johann pushes the wad of bills in Gren's hand. "No, no, no Gren. Barbeque some of that meat, Potato Salad and a good bottle of Wine will do for me and the misses. It's on the house-a present, as you may, to those four little ones at home."
"But...." Gren looks at the vast amount of meat in his hands. "There is so much and-"
"Shoo now, Gren." Johann smiles and waves. "I have plenty to do and YOU need to go home to Emily and give her some of that food."
There was no need to argue with Johann. The man's mind was already made up. Gren thanked Johann one last time and walked out the door. He felt the sudden clamy touch against his shoulders. Gren was ready to defend his bountiful supply of meat, no matter who it was. But the smell of swamp moss and spring water could not be avoided. He peeked around the mountain of meat and noticed his nephew RJ, two hands on each end.
"Whoa, that's A LOT of meat there, uncle Gren. Going somewhere?"
"Hey RJ....just picking up the needed things for Emily and heading home."
"Here, let me help you."
RJ grabbed several of the Hams and the packages. Gren sighed with relief. Next time, he would bring the truck and not assume he was able to carry all this alone. That, or bring along someone with a good, strong grip.
"Thanks kiddo. Where you off to?"
"I'm off to the movies with a couple of the guys. Got the day off, so I wanted to take advantage of a weekday. Normally, I'm working."
"Dad doing good too?"
"Yup. Busy, busy busy but you knew that already. Said he'll stop by and pay a visit to you and Emily. I'll come by later, too and see her. Hear she's getting pretty big."
Gren nods. "She DOES have four in there."
RJ and Gren continue walking down the sidewalk and finally reaching the apartment. For payment, Gren gave RJ a fillet of Salmon. He watched RJ devour the piece before heading back out. He'd return sometime that evening to pay a small visit. As he walked inside, the sheer terror flowing from the television and Rosie's petrified face means Emily was watching her usual shows.
Gren chuckled and placed the meat on the counter. Typical Emily.
Had time before me and Tammy head out. Going to be gone the rest of the day; can't wait to see the surprise! So, if you have any questions, you know the drill.
Emily and even dear sweet Viv forget sometimes and tend to be caught by people. Thankfully, Emily was quick to respond. xD Never wanted to change Mary; although she's a mommy now, does not mean a thing to her. As you can see....lol
I can honestly say, Gren and Emily have that type of relationship to were they can talk about ANYTHING. And Puddles te rat, as Gren calls him-you'll read why in future chaps WHY they named him that. And I'm glad that little section made you think of your dad and cry happy tears.
He sounds like a wonderful father. I never wanted Rosie to lose sight of WHO raised her; despite Gren not being her biological father, they still have a special bond.
Outbursts indeed! Emily is just full of them to begin with and now being pregnant, you never know with her! And I'm pleased, despite this being a short chapter, (didn't see that until AFTER posting) that there were some funny and good moments. And Gren wll be pleasently surprised by the tv choices his children make.
Thank you for the wishes; love that song and we JUST had some cake and ice cream, too. Fiancee has a surprise (won't say) and I'm looking forward to it. I'll give miss Emily all the hugs and hellos, too.
Thanks, Stone!
-hands you virtual cake-