A/N: Spoiler alert for Captain America: The Winter Soldier, Avengers: Age of Ultron, Captain America: Civil War, Ant-Man, and Spiderman: Homecoming.
As always, many thanks go out to CapriceAnn Hedican-Kocur for the Beta and Winter-Soldier-88 for the brainstorming.
Year From Hell: Season 3, in progress. Please stand by…
Note: I'm issuing a warning for this chapter due to it containing dark subject matter.
Namaste,
Sunny
"I will come back to you, I swear I will;
And you will know me still.
I shall be only a little taller
Than when I went."
― Edna St. Vincent Millay, The Harp-Weaver and Other Poems
Winter Soldier
And You Will Know Me Still
Chapter 69
"Good to see you, Cat. Um, not that I was lookin' for you or anything," he told her in all sincerity. "So, you chasin' bad guys, too?"
Cat made an offhand gesture. "Oh, you know how it is. Gotta clean up the neighborhood and a broom just wasn't doing the trick."
"Yeah." He purposely overplayed a shrug. "Everyone needs a hobby."
"Exactly." She grinned and motioned between the two of them. "Neither of us is the bug, stamp, or coin collecting type, and I never learned to knit."
Without thinking, Peter said, "I could teach you." At her wide-eyed surprise, he explained, "I, uh, I mean my… friend knits, crochets, and does needlepoint. Couldn't help picking some of it up." A breeze lightly moved her hair, drawing his attention from the conversation. The bright white color with traces of ice blue entranced him now as it had the first time they met, and it was even longer than he thought. Peter moved a half-step closer, reaching out. When she didn't object, he touched the strands hanging over her shoulder, careful not to accidentally cross into red light territory, mesmerized by the way it picked up the light. "It's beautiful," he murmured. At the realization of what he was doing and saying, Peter whipped his hand away and put a little distance between them. "Oh, sorry. I-I didn't mean to…"
Closing the space between them and taking hold of his wrist, Cat placed his hand on her hair beside her ear, wordlessly inviting him to continue. Even through the suit's sensors he could feel how soft and silky it was, and longed to be able to really touch it.
Her eyes were wide, as if he'd surprised them both by the gesture. Though the smirk had gone, he got the sense that she wanted them to be closer, and not just physical proximity. Truth be told, he only just this moment realized it was something he's been hoping for too. Right now, he wanted to kiss her, but never having kissed a girl who wasn't a relative, he didn't know how to convey the message in such a way that she wouldn't be repulsed by having a stranger lusting after her. Yet, somehow, he knew she would understand without a word passing between them.
Movement to his left caught his attention. Cat raised her hand, palm out, and Peter saw that she'd taken her gloves off. He mirrored her action, stopping and sighed with annoyance. Then, slowly and deliberately, making sure she could see, he pulled his gloves off too and tucked them into the suit's belt, looking her in the eye as Felicia had suggested. His confidence surged.
He felt her warmth before they touched, and with the contact, they both inhaled sharply, as if from a mild electric shock. Cat spread her fingers, and again, Peter followed her lead, entwining them, and somehow, they seemed to just fit together, like pieces of a puzzle they didn't know were missing.
Feeling bold, Peter tilted his head to the side, thrilled when Cat did the same as they slowly leaned together, closing his eyes. He almost bolted when her free hand touched the lower edge of the mask, but then he realized why, mentally kicking himself for forgetting.
Slowly, making the moment last, Cat rolled the mask up over his nose. His smile widened as she separated their hands, moving them to his waist, and lightly applying pressure as she leaned in to press their lips together.
Peter framed her face, letting his thumbs lightly graze over her cheeks the way he'd seen in movies. Tentatively at first, then, when she didn't object, he became bolder, brushing the side of one thumb down to the corner of her mouth.
Evolve Academy for the Performing Arts
Joliet, Illinois
"You want to drive out there now?" Klaus asked Dinah after a glance at the expensive watch strapped to his right wrist. "It's late, liebling. Let's have a brandy to celebrate, retire for the night, and call on them after lunch tomorrow."
Dinah set the clutch on the piano with a smile. "You always have such good ideas, my love." She extended her hand and he took hold, and together they went into the den.
Once they were seated side by side on the sofa in the den in front of a roaring fire with snifters of brandy, Dinah sighed happily. "All of our plans are coming along nicely. We have room for one more student. Like the others, she will have to embody all the subjective qualities of a prima ballerina in addition to that indefinable spark that will bring an audience under her spell."
"I've already made travel arrangements. We leave in two days for the Gold Coast." He took out his phone and brought up a video. "The video does not do her justice. You must see her in person, as you have with the other."
Moving the hand with the snifter in time to the music, Dinah watched a group of young girls dancing on a small stage. All were well trained, but the one to stage left with dark hair and skin stood out from the rest. "Again, I bow to your judgment, Klaus. Meeting these young women in person is the only way to ascertain their suitability for the program."
"As always, we will arrive early in order to, as the Americans say, get the lay of the land before announcing our presence."
"I spent six months training at a prestigious ballet school in Brisbane when I was seventeen, and again while on tour. It will be good to visit again."
They finished off the brandy and stood together, taking the stairs to their suite of rooms on the second floor to get ready for bed.
The Home of Antonia Vasilescu
Giurgiu, Romania
Chin to her chest, Antonia, or whoever she really was, cleared her throat, opened her eyes, and looked around. "About time," she said when her gaze landed on him. She pushed off the sofa and walked toward him, hand extended with a brilliant smile. "You must be Jacob. Maricara told me about you. I'm Vară."
Bucky stood to shake her hand, keeping his expression neutral. "Pleasure, Vară." She dropped his hand, looking left and right. "Something wrong?"
He didn't know what to make of this new personality. Everything about her was different than Antonia, if he'd ever really spoken to her. Her speech patterns, mannerisms, her walk as she crossed to the bookshelf, even her smile.
Vară perused the shelves and pulled out one of the newer books. She flipped it open, removed something, and laid the book on the desk. He heard the striking of a match, and she turned around with a lit cigarette in her hand. She saw him staring and smiled with embarrassment. "Don't tell the others I was smoking." Taking a seat on the arm of an overstuffed chair, she put one foot in the seat and leaned her free elbow on it while taking a deep puff and expelling the smoke in a long stream, closing her eyes briefly in pleasure. "So, what's this about? Mari said you wanted to meet us."
Adopting a casual attitude, Bucky picked up the glass of wine, using it to gesture. "Curious." Vară watched the glass with a hungry expression. Without asking, he refilled Maricara's glass and handed it to her. "Tell me about yourself."
"What's there to tell?" Vară sipped the wine as she roamed aimlessly around the room. "Each of us serves a specific purpose. Me, I do all those things Antonia always wanted to try, but was too afraid." She took another drag on the cigarette. "Smoking, drugs, extreme sports, you name it. I do it all. Even broke my wrist in a bar fight once." The hand holding the cigarette pointed at him with a grin. "And I liked it! Well, except for the sex. That I can do without, but, Mari likes it, and so does Stefania. Izabela, Constantine, and Luiza get embarrassed seeing a man naked. I'm happy being celibate." One cheek dimpled. "Cuts down on the lectures from Luiza."
"Luiza?"
"Yeah. With her, we can't even leave the house without her spout off. It's always să te ia dracu!" Her feet carried her to the mirror by the front door, which she gave barely a glance, snorting as she turned to face him again. A deep inhale expanded her chest as she took a long drag on the cigarette on her way to the kitchen. The water came on briefly, then the refrigerator opened and closed. Vară came back biting into a chicken leg with gusto. Around the food, she said, "When was the last time Antonia ate? I'm starving!"
"Not sure."
Vară dropped the chicken bone on the end table and wiped her hands on the back of her pants before extending her hand once more. "Been a pleasure, Jacob. Time to make room for the next one."
The hand went limp in his, and Vară's eyes unfocused. When she looked at him again, it was with a scowl. She huffed, yanked free, and stomped her foot. "That bitch Mari lied to me again. It was my turn to go first." Her chin came up as she looked him over. "I'm Alina." As if giving her name told the whole story, she turned away from him while running her hands down her stomach and over his hips. "Oh, ****! I can't believe what we're wearing!"
Alina rushed down the hall to the bedroom. Bucky followed and found her in the walk-in closet going through the clothes. "What is with Antonia? She has zero fashion sense." Her eyes lit up as she withdrew a treasure. She went to the full-length mirror and held the clothes up in front of her, turning side to side. Gathering her hair at the back of her head, she smiled with satisfaction. "This is more like it. Needs the right accessories or why bother, am I right?"
She tossed the clothes on the bed and had her top up to her ribs when she realized he was still standing in the doorway. "Do you mind?"
"Oh, sorry." Bucky stepped out and pulled the door most of the way shut. He would've asked questions, but Alina hadn't stopped talking.
"None of the others know how to dress or accessorize. They never do anything with their hair, wear only work shoes. I mean, really. Who wants to be seen in work pants, t-shirts, and boots all the time?And don't even get me started about make-up." She made a snort that sounded like annoyance. "But do they ask me for advice? No, they do not. Ugh! And when was the last time Antonia moisturized? Probably doesn't wear sunblock when she goes out either. We're probably gonna die of skin cancer or something." Drawers opened and closed, and there was a long pause where Bucky heard little aside from rustling clothes. Then, the door opened and Alina posed in the doorway with a smile she probably thought was seductive. "So? What do you think?"
The latest of Antonia's personalities now wore a short skirt in dark green and cream, black sheer stockings, a black long-sleeved sweater, and ankle boots in a color that reminded Bucky of the butterscotch pudding his mother used to make. A floaty scarf had been looped around her neck, the trailing ends reaching nearly to her waist. In the short time the door was closed, Alina had brushed her hair and pinned it back on the sides to show off the gold earrings and necklace. The make-up she applied was subtle, yet enhanced her eyes in a way he found appealing. Because she obviously needed constant praise, he obliged. "Stunning."
Alina returned to the vanity, picked up a black tube, brushing the contents on her eyelashes. "And proud of it." The tube was returned to the vanity while she used a tissue to make small adjustments. That done, lipstick was applied. "You know, Antonia could stand to lose a few pounds around the middle and hips. She never works out. Doesn't she care about the body we have to share? And what about this hair? We'd look so much better as a blonde, don't you think?"
Alina stopped in the midst of recapping the lipstick, staring at a spot in front of her nose. The tube hit the floor and fear widened her eyes. She looked in the mirror, seeing Bucky reflected beside her. Her breathing sped up and she spun around. "Who-who are you? What're you doing in our bedroom?" One hand pointed at him as she made her way to the window keeping him in sight at all times. "I'll scream. I swear I'll scream!"
Her mouth opened, and Bucky rushed to assure her, "Please don't. I'm a friend of Antonia's." At her skeptical stare, he added, "And Maricara's."
While she appeared relieved, her spine stayed stiff. "Oh. You're Jacob. Mari told us about us." She glanced at him and away, not meeting his eyes for more than a second. "M-my name is Z-Zina."
"Good to finally meet you, Zina." The girl looked like a trapped animal, so Bucky went down the hall to the living room, keeping away from the front door so she would have a way to escape, if she chose. When she didn't follow, he called out, "Come on out. I won't hurt you."
The girl came down the hall slowly, eyes darting around. She saw that he was seated in a chair nowhere near the exits and relaxed just a little. Bucky would have to be careful he didn't make any sudden movements or say anything she might take as threatening.
She perched on the edge of the sofa, both hands gripping the cushion, ready to bolt, yet eyeing the bottle on the corner of the desk.
"Would you like some wine?"
"Yes, please." She was never still. One heel tapped the carpet and her hands constantly fidgeted with the hem of the skirt, her hair, the earrings, and necklace in between squeezing the cushion and starting at every little sound.
The bottle was near Bucky on the desk and he knew she wouldn't come for it. The refrigerator came on and she gasped. Slowly, so she wouldn't think he was coming after her, he filled the glass, set it on the table, and retreated to the desk. She snatched it up and drank it down without stopping or taking her eyes off of him. When she finished, she held out the glass while wiping her mouth with the back of her hand. He refilled the glass, and this time, she sipped slowly.
"You okay?"
Though she nodded, he sensed it was for his benefit, likely to forestall any further questions. "It's just, well, I-I, uh," one shoulder twitched, "I ain't never been alone with a-a…"
"A man?"
Her sheepish smile told the story. "Yeah. Well, 'cept for Andrei, but he's Antonia's brother 'n don't count. Plus he thought I was her." Zina looked away uncomfortably and got up to stand between the sofa and the front door, setting her glass on the end table as she passed. "Mari almost never lets me be in control. Says I don't know nothin' 'n I'm scared of everything." Bucky crossed his knees and she jumped at the movement. She blushed and looked away again. "She kina has a point, I guess. Says I should speak up more, smile, talk to people, b-but I can't."
"Sure you can. You're talking to me," Bucky pointed out with a gentle smile.
Random Rooftop
The Bronx
With their bodies barely grazing each other, Cat brushed her tongue over Spidey's lips, and he enthusiastically let her in, giving as much as taking. She knew it was too soon for her and Spidey to be taking this step, but dammit, she really liked him. He was respectful, confident, and oh, so sexy in red and blue. And one little taste wouldn't hurt, would it? Okay, more than one, but who's counting? Not me!
She eased back to put space between them. His touch on her face became lighter, though he didn't let go. They smiled together, and leaned in again. Their lips had barely touched when Cat heard the thrum of a police helicopter circling the area at the same time Spidey jumped back and pulled his mask down. A growl of frustration stayed in her throat as he put a hand to his ear, indicating he was likely wearing a headset.
Moving a few steps away, he turned toward the street and dropped his voice to a whisper, obviously believing she couldn't hear what he was saying.
"What?!" he snapped at the invisible person at the other end.
His chest still rose and fell in the same rapid rhythm as hers. Yeah, they were mutually attracted.
"No, I don't wanna…" This time he huffed in annoyance. "Fine. Just say I'm on my way."
Spidey glanced over his shoulder and away. Who could he be talking to that would deflate his self-confidence so fast? To cut through his embarrassment, Cat held her gloves in one hand. Their eyes met once more, and hers slid away, though she wasn't embarrassed even the least little bit by their actions. "Um, I gotta go." She risked a peek and was pleased to see Spidey was standing with his shoulders squared. "I've got a, uh, thing in the…"
"Morning. Yeah, me too." His posture changed. Not much, but enough to tell her that he was as reluctant to leave as she. "Cat, that was…"
Cat grinned sheepishly while peering at him through her lashes. "Yeah, it was."
He turned away, and though she wanted to call him back, she didn't. Then, suddenly, he was there, mask pushed out of the way. His hands, gloved once more, gripped her gently by the upper arms. He pulled her into another kiss and just as quickly released her. Taking two steps back, he answered her grin with a lift of one eyebrow, yanked down the mask, shot a web, and swung out of sight.
Annoyed with herself for having such intense emotions for someone she just met, Cat tugged her gloves on as she ran for the dark recesses of the rooftop, hiding in the shadows until the police helicopter moved on. These feelings, at once new and old, frustrated her.
Can't let Spidey get to know the real me or his moral code would compel him to turn me in to the police. That means no more kissing the colorful hero of Queens. Strictly professional from now on. And I should stick with someone safe. Too bad Peter's so shy. Guess it'll have to be me that makes the first move. Maybe we could meet after school for coffee or an after school snack.
As she slinked down the alley that lead to her hideaway, Cat's thoughts turned back on themselves.
Peter's sweet, and we have a mutual attraction thing going on. Leave Spidey as the one that got away and go for the adorably awkward sophomore. Or not. Grr! Sleep on it, and see how you feel in the morning.
~~O~~
Inside the gas station, Cat stripped out of her suit, folded it neatly, and hid it in the ceiling. Once the tiles were back in place, she went into the bathroom to get ready for bed, though after that kiss, who knew how long it would take her to get to sleep?
Spidey's kisses had been hotter than hot for someone without much experience, and therein laid the problem. Her body was still humming from the arousal he'd stoked with so little effort and without meaning to. With a long sigh, she rolled onto her side, tucked one hand under her pillow, and closed her eyes.
Five minutes later, Felicia reluctantly decided that she might as well make use of a sleepless night. "Study it is."
She dragged out the backpack that contained her schoolbooks, powered up the new laptop she'd procured through a five-finger discount at the CompuTech store just minutes before she ran into Spidey, and dived into the task of registering the software, also stolen-she had a few tricks up her baggy pajama sleeves-and transferring files from the old one.
The Home of Antonia Vasilescu
Giurgiu, Romania
In an instant, Zina's body language changed, showing confidence. She stood up straight, both hands making a pushing motions as she looked Bucky right in the eye. "Whoa-whoa-whoa! Enough wit da pity party already. Ge-ez. You'd'a thunk da kid never been outta da house." A finger jabbed at Bucky without touching him, emphasizing his words. "Let me tell you, pally, she's been out plenty. Ain't her fault she don't got a body of her own."
Bucky blinked at the abrupt change in grammar, sentence structure, and mannerisms, as much as the fact that the voice was now speaking English with a familiar New York accent. He stood and took a few steps closer. "And you are?"
Antonia's body crossed the floor with a big smile to give Bucky a hearty handshake. "Vito Micelli. Nice ta meetcha." Vito let go and turned in the direction of the kitchen. "Ya know, I heard about you from Mari."
Bucky followed at a discrete distance, also speaking to English. "What exactly did you hear?"
Head inside the refrigerator, Vito chuckled as an answer while gathering up the makings for sandwiches. "Well, don't dat beat all? What're da chances I'd meet up wit a guy from Da City while livin' in a foreign country?" He set everything on the kitchen table and went back for a plate, napkin, and a sharp knife, giving Bucky a moment's pause. "So where ya from, pally?"
"Brooklyn, Flatbush."
Vito pointed at himself with both thumbs. "Westchester, Da Bronx." He looked down at his clothes. "Oh, for da love o' Mike! Again wit da dresses?" He rolled his eyes dramatically, dismissing the subject, and going back to his sandwich making. "So, uh, Jake. Whatcha doin' in dis here part o' da world?"
"Just passing through." This new persona seemed more forthcoming, so Bucky risked a question he hadn't thought to ask the others. "Do you mind…"
After spreading a generous amount of mustard on both slices of bread, Vito opened the meat and cheese. "How'd blue-collar yours truly end up sharin' a body wit a buncha dames in Romania? Psht. Nuttin' to it." He picked up his carefully constructed sandwich, licked his lips, and took a huge bite, talking with his mouth full. "Back in da day, li'l miss Antonia seen dat movie 'In the Cut' 'n fell ass over teacups for anyting New York. Couldn't get enough. Musta seen it a hunnert times. Next ting you know, here I am." He laid the sandwich on the plate, wiped his mouth, and went back to the refrigerator, moving the items on the shelves. "Geez. Can't a guy get a beer once in a while?"
He came back with a canned soft drink, popped the top, and took a long swallow. Seeing Bucky watching, Vito held up the can. "Getcha one?"
Bucky genuinely liked Vito, however he came about. "No, thanks. Do you know how many more there are?"
Vito bit into the sandwich again and held up a finger asking Bucky for a moment. He swallowed, took another drink of soda, and leaned on the table. "Lessee, dere's Ester. She's a middle-aged widda, loves ta cook, do da cleanin', n' stuff. Izabella." He waggled a hand. "Fifteen, sixteen, or so, always lookin' on da bright side. It's friggin' annoyin'. Um, oh! Stefania! You'd love dat one." A smirk turned up his lips. "Always goin' on 'bout recyclin', goin' organic, n' all dat. 'Tween you 'n me, she maybe likes the Maui Wowie a little too much, knowhatImean?" Vito winked broadly. "Lessee, who's next? Ah! Constantine. Always got his hoity-toity nose up in da air, all pretentious like when he ain't broodin' over his latest artistic creation that's gonna set da world on fire. Uh, Luiza ya heard 'bout. She's always preachin' damnation this and hellfire that." The sandwich was in his hands again. This time the bite was smaller and went down easier. "Now don't get me wrong. I'm all about the Good Book. Just don' want it crammed down my throat all day 'n night when I ain't done nuttin' wrong." He looked up at the ceiling while wiping his hands. "Now who'd I forget? Oh, yeah. The udder one. Not sure if dat one's a boy or a girl, 'n won't say." A single chuckle came out. "Gave da name Bailey when Mari insisted. Quiet, reads a lot, don' socialize, don' give an opinion when we have family meetin's."
He picked up the soft drink, stopping with the can to his lips, his eyes wide in the way that had become familiar. A new personality was about to take over. But would it be one that hadn't shown her or his face yet, or one that Bucky had already met?
The Parker Apartment
Queens, New York
Peter landed lightly on the bedroom floor, closed the window, and pulled off the mask with a grunt, catching sight of himself in the mirror. His cheeks were flushed, eyes wide, and further down… Groaning under his breath, he adjusted the front of the suit, but it didn't help.
He groaned as he stripped out of the suit, got into his pajamas, and stepped barefoot into the hall. "May! I'm home! Gonna brush my teeth and go to bed." Under his breath, he muttered, "If I can get to sleep after what happened with Cat."
In response, Peter heard soft voices and the occasional feminine giggle. The lights were down low in the living room, but it didn't sound like the television. He stopped at the end of the hall, mouth open at the vision of his aunt and Sam making out on the sofa. He turned around and darted into the bathroom. "Shit! I'll never unsee that."
~~O~~
The prediction Peter made to his reflection in the bathroom mirror didn't come to pass, because once in bed, all he could think about was Cat, and for some inexplicable reason, Felicia. The two girls floated through his mind, taking turns being the object of his teenage male fantasies.
By the time he was ready to fall asleep, he'd come to the decision that Felicia was the safer, more pragmatic choice for a possible romantic partner, provided she felt the same. They'd never kissed, but then they had only spoken a few times.
Peter rolled onto his back, punched the pillow from both sides, and covered his eyes with his forearm.
You only met Cat twice before getting into a make-out sesh. How is Felicia different? They're both beautiful, funny, sarcastic, and filled with an innocence that was at the same time way sexy.
Or was it he simply letting his hormones run amok? He would be turning sixteen soon, so yeah, hormones ruled his world, though he did try to rein it in, with limited success at the best of times. "Yeah, not happening tonight, unfortunately." He heaved a sigh, rolled to his feet, and plopped in the desk chair. "Study it is. Or I could take a cold shower. Does that even work?" There was more giggling from the living room. "Sam would know, but not going there with him."
While the computer booted up, he put the headphones on, intending to use a little AC/DC to mask the sounds of his aunt and Sam's activities.
The Home of Andrei Vasilescu
Giurgiu, Romania
Creeping through Andrei's home, Bucky made sure all the blinds and curtains were closed before turning on the computer. He made an extensive search of all files, but came up empty.
Before Bucky had accepted Antonia's, or rather Maricara's, invitation to dinner, Andrei had taken him aside and given him instructions in case something happened to him. At the time, he thought Andrei was being paranoid. But the danger was much closer to home than Bucky could have known. Death at the hand of a sibling went all the way back to Cain and Abel, though for Andrei and Antonia, the motive had gone way beyond normal sibling rivalry. If Maricara is to believed, she was responsible for numerous killings. But then, she denied responsibility for Andrei's death. Going by what she said when they first met, Maricara was the leader and knew what was going on.
Shaking his head, Bucky set about looking for the evidence Andrei hinted at the night he died. Because he hadn't been specific, aside from it was on a thumb drive, it could be anywhere in or around his home, at the office, or possibly in his car.
"Better get started," he muttered to himself. The clock over the mantel let him know that it had been less than an hour since leaving Antonia's. She had taken Vito's place and was pleasantly surprised to find him in her home. As a test, he casually mentioned several of the other personalities. Her look of bewilderment had been heartbreaking. Antonia genuinely didn't know, or was in denial, about the other personalities within her own mind.
What she hadn't expected was that he'd knock her out and restrain her so she couldn't get away. He'd locked her in the trunk of her own car, which he'd parked far enough from any inhabited buildings, just in case she woke up and raised a fuss.
Standing in the middle of the living room, Bucky turned in a circle, trying to decide where to start searching. Then he remembered Vară taking her cigarettes from inside a hollowed out book. What if Andrei had done the same? Unfortunately, he didn't know enough about Andrei to hazard a guess as to which book he might've used, and would have to go through them one by one. He started with the obvious: "Thumbelina", all of the books featuring the character Tom Thumb, any book with the words murder, killing, or death in the title, as well as the dictionary.
Running his metal finger along the spines hoping for inspiration, he came upon one of the few books in English, Here Abide Monsters by Andre Norton. He slid it from the shelf, noting that it was new in comparison to most of the others. He flipped the book open and there it was, a thumb drive. Underneath the drive, he found a key. It had relevance, or why hide it in the same place as the evidence?
However, Bucky couldn't assume anything. He went back to the desk, stuck the drive in a USB port, and opened the only file on it: a video. Not sure he wanted to know all the details, Bucky hovered the cursor over the icon. "If Antonia or one of her personalities really did commit multiple murders, she needed help now and not later. That won't happen unless I'm sure."
Andrei came into the camera's range, seating himself at the desk, his expression solemn, hands clasped together in front of him.
"My name is Andrei Emil Vasilescu, older brother to Antonia Irini Vasilescu. Our family history is quite relevant to the tale which I am about to tell, for without it, none of what follows will seem relevant.
"We were born to Luca and Mirena Cabuz in a small village near the Hungarian border. At that time, we were known as Andrei and Antonia Cabuz. To the best of my knowledge, our birth parents are still living."
He looked away from the camera, one hand to his chin, gathering his thoughts.
"Sometime prior to our adoption by Francise and Grigore Vasilescu, many horrific incidents occurred. They do not excuse the events that followed, but perhaps make them at least understandable."
It was obvious even to Bucky that the traumatic experiences he and his sister endured as children had left them both scarred. Antonia wasn't the only one that had needed professional help. For Andrei, it was too late.
"Antonia and I shared a room until the day after my tenth birthday." Andrei smiled in remembrance. "I was so excited to finally have a room of my own." The anguish was back, colored by rage as his breathing sped up, and his eyes darkened. "Foolishly, I thought of it as a rite of passage for me, giving little thought to how it would affect Antonia, who was then eight." That steely gaze looked directly into the camera. "If I'd had even the slightest hint of what was planned, our lives today would be so much different, because, you see, we were separated for one reason only: so Antonia would be alone in her room at night…"
TBC
German:
Liebling = darling
Romanian:
Să te ia dracu = may the devil take you
In the Cut is a 2003 Australian-American mystery and romantic erotic thriller film written and directed by Jane Campion and starring Meg Ryan, Mark Ruffalo, and Jennifer Jason Leigh. Campion's screenplay is an adaptation of the novel of the same name by Susanna Moore. The film focuses on a college English professor who becomes entangled with a detective investigating a series of gruesome murders in her Manhattan neighborhood.
Here Abide Monsters is a fantasy fiction novel by Andre Norton, originally published in 1973.
Born Alice Mary Norton on February 17, 1912 in Cleveland, Ohio, she legally changed her name to Andre Alice Norton in 1934. She attended the Flora Stone Mather College of Western Reserve University (now Case Western Reserve) for a year then took evening courses in journalism and writing that were offered by Cleveland College, the adult division of the same university. Norton was a librarian for the Cleveland Library System then a reader at Gnome Press. After that position, she became a full-time writer. She is most noted for writing fantasy, in particular the Witch World series. Her first book, The Prince of Commands, was published in 1934. Other titles include Ralestone Luck, Magic in Ithkar, Voorloper, Uncharted Stars, The Gifts of Asti and All Cats are Gray.
She also wrote under the pen names Andre Norton, Andrew North and Allen Weston. She was the first woman to receive the Gandalf Grand Master of Fantasy and the Nebula Grand Master Award. She has also received a Phoenix Award for overall writing achievement, a Jules Verne Award, and a Science Fiction Book Club Book of the Year Award for her title The Elvenbane. In 1997 she was inducted into the Science Fiction and Fantasy Hall of Fame. She died on March 17, 2005.