“I’ve never been perfect. I’ve never been… what other’s expected of me. But that didn’t matter… Because despite everything I had lost, everything that he knew, hehadstayed. ”
The words that left Tabbitha’s lips were agonized, her chocolate brown eyes flicking from place to place, her jaw tense and back a straight line. She didn’t talk about him, he had been so important to her yet she couldn’t bring herself to utter his name. She couldn’t bring herself to send his family a letter or call them, she couldn’t bare the thought of throwing out his worn down jacket. The memories that follows her over through the hiking trail and over the sandy water’s edge at the lake, through hallways and around backroads. Everything in Albion held an echo of him- of who she used to be.
*•.¸¸.•*♡*•.¸¸.•*♡*•.¸¸.•*
“C'mon Tabs! Just pick something and I’ll pay,” Alexander’s voice was full of laughter as he watched the redhaired Damphir, his body leaned against the shelves as Tabbitha glanced over the makeup, her iced coffee propped on her phone as she blushed, throwing the taller werewolf a glance, unable to hide the grin that filled her face.
“Anything I want?”
The Peruvian asked with some hesitation before she stood, looking at her boyfriend, chocolate eyes on his blue ones as she stepped closer, her darkly stained bottom lip pulled between her teeth. Alexander nodded, his own toothy grin reflecting her shy one as he gently ran his fingers across the guardian’s cheek. Stepping closer, the damphir pressed her lips to Alex’s, a brief kiss shared as loved poured from the senior student’s hearts.
“Then I want you to be my forever.”
*•.¸¸.•*♡*•.¸¸.•*♡*•.¸¸.•*
The memory flooded Tabbitha’s eyes as her stomach twisted into knots, in her hands was a carefully mailed invitation from Xander’s parents to his funeral, her heart shattering as the night replayed over and over within her mind. They had been in the United States over Spring break, their last spring break as High School students. At sundown Alexander had proposed with a simple ring as they stood against the water’s edge as the sea lapped at their feet. They had gone to a party to celebrate, a bunch of drunk humans packed into one flat… Tabbitha knew something wasn’t right but ignored it.
Then, someone pulled a knife on Alex. A silver coated blade, and Tabbitha froze.
The Damphir are the protectors of all species, from a young age each one is taught that their life is the first to go on the line for anyone else. This mentallity was not one that Tabbitha had, especially for those who she didn’t know and didn’t give a shit about her in return… But she had cared about Alexander and had sworn up down and backwards to protect him.
“I couldn’t even do that right.”
Brokenly, Tabbitha slipped the invitation within the locked diary she had, shaking hands reaching for the cardboard box of Camel Crush Silvers, pulling a cigarette out and lighting it.
“You’ll always be my forever, Xander..” The broken 17 year old whispered before she broke into a fit of sobs, the only answer was the echo of the home she’d been gifted as a going away present from her mother.
“What do you dream of?” Bucky asked in a lazy drawl, reclining in the bright light as the mid-afternoon sun kissed the skin of those who wandered outside. Thanks to some work Shuri had put in, his metal arm now looked like a normal arm, he seemed.. normal. So long as you didn’t look into his haunted blue eyes.
That morning he had gone out of his way to cut his hair, the long black locks had become a bit too much to keep up with. He leaned back as he rested his elbow on the side of the bench, a small smile curling his lips as he looked at Tatiana as she paced about. Did she ever slow down..?
“I mean… You’re a Stark, there’s so much you can do the moment you think of doing it. But what’s something you dream of, something that seems like it would be too good to be true. Something money can’t buy and you can’t build.”
These conversations were always nice, when they weren’t in their therapy sessions, they weren’t a patient who was severely destroyed and a doctor who tried to keep him in check. They were friends, they were equals. He didn’t have to worry about…. who he was when H.Y.D.R.A stole part of his life away.
The cottage they were at had been Tat’s for years. Despite the fact that it had been completely empty, she still shelled out the money for constant upkeep. What she didn’t tell Bucky was how she’d gotten it. Her converse-clad feet never stopped moving.
This cottage had been an early wedding present for Tatiana from her brother. The last time she’d been here was the day that would’ve been the last one of her honeymoon. She’d been blitzed out of her mind and in her drunken grief had tried to burn the place down. Now, she was grateful that she hadn’t. Despite the bittersweet burn being here left, she could think of nowhere she’d rather get away to, and for that matter, no one she’d rather get away with. It had happened slowly, behind her back, her frienship with Bucky. She’d never expected it to, but it had fallen into her lap, and now, she had one of the closest friends she’d ever known.
“That’s easy,” she laughed, her feet still following their trodden path. “Time travel. No money can buy something that doesn’t exists and in all attemps had proven impossible.” Her hair was tied in a messy bun, the loose strands framing her face falling to about chin length. This game was a favorite, something concocted in their therapy sessions in order to make Bucky feel more secure and less like he was being interrogated. The Question Game, they called it. You kept going, asking and answering questions untill someone ran out, then, they lost and owed you a boon.
“If you could have any dish from the 40’s that doesn’t exist today, what’d it be?” She fired back, pausing to cast a glance over her shoulder, the sun giving her skin a soft glow and lighting up her amber eyes as she looked at him, a small smile culing on her lips. Nothing could take away the pain of losing Danny, and she would never forget loving him, but… Did that mean she could never love again, or…was their still hope for her?
Nodding, Bucky listened as she explained, chucking at the thought. It was simple, yes, but it was still odd in his mind that it was what came to mind when dreams were in question. There were still so many mysteries that came with Tatiana Stark, but over time James had slowly inched his way inside the walls she had built.
His relaxed hand moved, sliding through his freshly groomed hair as he thought. there were many foods that had been continued, altered but things didn’t change that much. Brows furrowing, the military man let his lips purse as he thought.
“Well, I guess that’s a bit harder to say… It’s not something you couldn’t make, most don’t though… but, I’d have to say icebox honey and lemon cookies. “ He said with a small chuckle, his hand sliding from his hair to his neck. “My nan used to have a batch in the cookie jar and another roll in the refrigerator to make real quick if the grandkids were coming by.”
Letting his eyes trail over the short beauty, he smiled, blue eyes meeting amber ones for a split second before his gaze flicked to the cloud spotted sky, picking out a few random shapes. Things had been relaxed these days, it felt safe, and normal. Like they were just two crazy kids taking it one day at a time… No war to fight, no battles to win…
“You’ve got to have a favorite Disney princess, right?” He inquired as his brows raised. The Stark sibling was very much like her older brother, but there were always surprisingly simple things that set her apart, and showed just how gentle, genuine, and feminine the woman could be. Even when kicking her brothers ass.
The gentle curl of her hair often reminded him of that, or the carefully painted eyeliner she wore. The intensity of the red lipstick she had worn every day since he had met her….
She was so beautiful.
And so out of his league.
“Jasmine.” She answered with a grin, standing still in her spot for a long moment. She couldn’t help but look him over and just… appreciate how he looked in that white t-shirt and jeans. It was probably one of the simplest outfits but damn if it didn’t get the softhearted young doctor warm under the collar. He looked so good it ought to be a sin. Maybe it was. Hell, what did she care? She was an atheist.
The question that came off the doctors lips after a good bit of stumbling and rambling made the sergeant’s eyebrows quirk, a smirk slowly building onto his face as he though back to the old days. He had dated quite a lot of pretty girls and handsome boys in his youth… There had been many times he would throw away his responsibilities just to run the town with someone. It was fun.
Those had been the good days, when he didn’t have to worry about someone saying a magic set of words, taking his life into their hands. Turning him into a monster that had murdered—
‘Too deep. Stop. Back to the question.’
“Well,” James laughed, a small blush burning his cheeks as he tore his mind away from the cliff that overlooked seas of guilt and pain, years he had lost to H.Y.D.R.A. People he had lost because of them. Blue eyes flicked back to Tatiana, his body shifting so he was better facing her,
“Oh yeah, of course. Loads of dates all the time, in fact I’m on one right now. “ The sarcasm dripped off his lips, a bit of resentment for Tony and Steve both as his smile dropped from his face, his hands fidgiting before he pulled the cardboard pack of smokes from his jeans, tearing it open and pulling one free. Next came a lighter as he glanced her over.
“I don’t exactly leave the compound without a shadow or someone with me. Dates would be kind of awkward, but,” the dark haired male’s voice trailed again as he lit the cigarette, taking a deep drag before releasing the grey smoke into the air, letting his finger hold the filter with an uncharacteristic gentility.
“I don’t have time to waste for the likes of you. Leave.” Without a second glance, she turned away and left the room, leaving two flabbergasted guests and one amused man behind.
Chuckling, the young man stood from his seat, a charming smile tugging at his lips while his eyes remained unmoved. “She has such a nice temper, don’t you think?”
When his dark gaze fell on them, the guests shivered. “Unfortunately I don’t.”
The dark haired man let his hands rub together, dark chocolate hues held a storm just behind the glassy surface as the door that the blonde woman had fled from slammed. The silence that lingered after that was only broken as their guests shifted to stand. Rowan’s parents who had ever so rudely insulted the young woman whose talents in Luciel’s eyes, were endless. Then, they continued to belittle the blonde who worked for everything she had in the small one bedroom apartment. It wasn’t much, nor what her parents, Alyssa and James were used to. After they had disowned the young woman seven years ago, Rowan had struggled to get back onto her feet, to find her way.
The one bedroom apartment was just one of the steps she had taken, the bookshop that had been flooded with guests every day since opening was one of the larger ones.
It had been six months ago that the older couple had reached out to Rowan and sought to mend the bridge that they themselves had severed.
“Now, I do believe you were told to leave,” Luciel purred out, the energy in the room only seeming to grow more and more hostile as his gaze shifted from human to blood thirsty, his brown eyes shifting into a gold rimmed crimson.
“What are you-” The older woman demanded as horror curled in her stomach, her white handbag gripped like a life line.
“I’m the devil in your princess’s bed.” Luciel growled out before the lights blacked out, the sound of large wings flapping causing Alyssa and James to flinch back and grab for one another, the darkness and chill of the apartment soon replaced with heat and blinding light.
—-
“Luc?” Rowan’s once angry voice called as she returned from the outside, blue eyes tinted red and her face puffy from crying, the lingering scent of cigarette smoke carrying on the leather jacket she had taken hostage from her fiance.
“I’m here, princessa,” Came the deep voice, the olive skinned man sat upon the once inhabited couch, reclining. His clothes were in distress and his hair mussed, brown eyes held a darkness the blonde wasn’t a stranger to. Carefully she approached, sliding into his lap and curling within the devils protective arms. The only hint of what he had done- where he had taken them to visit, was the faint smell of burning ash and a single color void feather that sat on the floor feet away from them.
“What do you dream of?” Bucky asked in a lazy drawl, reclining in the bright light as the mid-afternoon sun kissed the skin of those who wandered outside. Thanks to some work Shuri had put in, his metal arm now looked like a normal arm, he seemed.. normal. So long as you didn’t look into his haunted blue eyes.
That morning he had gone out of his way to cut his hair, the long black locks had become a bit too much to keep up with. He leaned back as he rested his elbow on the side of the bench, a small smile curling his lips as he looked at Tatiana as she paced about. Did she ever slow down..?
“I mean… You’re a Stark, there’s so much you can do the moment you think of doing it. But what’s something you dream of, something that seems like it would be too good to be true. Something money can’t buy and you can’t build.”
These conversations were always nice, when they weren’t in their therapy sessions, they weren’t a patient who was severely destroyed and a doctor who tried to keep him in check. They were friends, they were equals. He didn’t have to worry about…. who he was when H.Y.D.R.A stole part of his life away.
Wand: Holly wood with a phoenix feather core, 11 2/3inches.
House: Hufflepuff
Affiliation: Tabbitha fights with the Order after graduation.
Occupation:During Hogwarts: Assistant at Ollivanders Wand Shop,
Post graduation: Mediwitch at St. Mungos
Birth place: Manchester, England.
Current Residence: Manchester, England
Languages known: English, French, and Italian.
αppeαrαɴce
Hair Color:Dyed red, ombre to blonde.
Hair Length: Medium-long.
Eye Color:Dark green..
Skin Color:Pale cream.
Height:5'6"
Weight:150lbs
Scars:Tabbi has a scar that runs around her right thigh just above the knee from a curse during a wizard duel that got out of control at age 19.
Piercings:Two sets on her ears, one lobe and cartilage on each ear, along with a nose piercing.
Wardrobe:Alternative/Punk style. Leather, boots, and an “I don’t care attitude”.
relαтιoɴѕнιpѕ
Mother: Alyssa Courtney Jones; Pureblood
Father: James Austin Fredrick Jones, Pureblood.
Sibling: Rowan Alli Jones, squib
Crush/Partner: TBD
Status: Single
Friends: Marleen McKinnon, Lily Evans, Alice Fortescue (Longbottom), Regulus Black, and Sirius Black.
Rivals: Severus Snape, Lucius Malfoy
Pets: A black long haired cat named Herbie.
cнαrαcтer тrαιтѕ
Personality: Tabbitha is a smart, quick witted woman with a temper to rival her intelligence. She is honest and compassionate, but can come off as harsh, as well as being fairly impulsive.
Likes:Leather, loud music, singing, dancing, confidence, helping others and adventure.
Dislikes:Self pity, country music, being compared to her father, silence, and isolation.
Pet Peeve:Being interrupted.
Habits:Smoking, hair pulling, and tapping her nails on things.
eхтrαѕ
Favorite subject: DaDA and Herbology
Favorite Professor: Slughorn.
Favorite Beast: Thestral
Favorite color:Cobalt blue
Graduated Hogwarts in the top 25%
As a child she wanted to be a wandmaker, but learned she didn’t have the skill during her teen years.
нιѕтory
Tabbitha was born into a very proud pureblood family that were friends of the Noble Black family. Her father was a very coarse man who held little regard for anyone below their purity status. In her early years, Tabbitha was cherished, and well loved. Molded into a perfect ‘Pureblood heiress.’
When her sister was born however, that changed. Not only was Tabbitha often neglected, but she was pushed aside as her mother and father worked to bring Rowan into the same world; though when it came out that her sister was a squib, shame was brought to the family. This was when her parents began pushing for Tabbitha to be the best, to the point of teaching her early on what it meant to be a “proper witch.”
When she left for Hogwarts, Tabbitha was expected to be placed in Slytherin, like her father before her, or at the very least Ravenclaw like her mother. When the young girl was placed in Hufflepuff though, her parents were not too pleased. Reguardless, Tabbitha was proven to be smart, though not the most brilliant in her year. She became friends with Lily and Marlene in the first few months of school; not that her parents were to ever discover just who she hung around.
After graduation, Tabbitha joined the Order of the Phoenix while also obtaining a job at St. Mungos.
Affiliation: Tabbitha has ties to S.H.I.E.L.D and loosely knows the Avengers.
Occupation: Weapon and Technology development for S.H.I.E.L.D.
Birth place: Manchester, England.
Current Residence: Manhattan, NY.
Languages known: English, French, German, and Italian.
αppeαrαɴce
Hair Color:Dyed red, ombre to blonde.
Hair Length: Medium-long.
Eye Color:Dark green..
Skin Color:Pale cream.
Height:5'6"
Weight:150lbs
Scars:Tabbi has a scar that runs across her shoulder left blade and towards her hip. This came from a malfunction on some of her tech in the early development stages.
Piercings:Two sets on her ears, one lobe and cartilage on each ear, along with a nose piercing.
Wardrobe:Alternative/Punk style. Leather, boots, and an “I don’t care attitude”.
Accessories:The only constants are a necklace with an Ygdrasil pendant, as well as a Paracord bracelet.
Weapons:Usually non-combative, though she carries a Glock and a blade at all times.
Costume:A crafted suit styled after the Stark’s own Iron Man, though colored in maroon, black, and grey. It’s fitted with thrusters, and an AI called Russel.
αвιlιтιeѕ
None on record
relαтιoɴѕнιpѕ
Mother: Alyssa Courtney Jones; civilian
Father: James Austin Fredrick Jones, civilian.
Sibling: Rowan Alli Jones
Crush/Partner: TBD
Status: Single
Friends: Tony Stark, Pepper Potts, The Vision
Enemies: TBD
Pets: A black long haired cat named Herbie.
cнαrαcтer тrαιтѕ
Personality: Tabbitha is a smart, quick witted woman with a temper to rival her intelligence. She is honest and compassionate, but can come off as harsh, as well as being fairly impulsive.
Likes:Leather, loud music, singing, dancing, confidence and adventure.
Dislikes:Self pity, country music, being compared to her father, silence, and isolation.
Pet Peeve:Being interrupted.
Habits:Smoking, hair pulling, and tapping her nails on things.
Graduate of: M.I.T, Two Masters degrees, one in Mechanical Engineering, the second in Nuclear Engineering.
нιѕтory
Tabbitha was raised in a loving home, though it wasn’t one free of fights or troubles. When she was 13, the Jones family moved from Manchester to New York for her father’s work. Her mother and father sent her to boarding school during the same year, seeing her once a year over summer breaks. Their hopes were that a boarding school would allow Tabbitha not only to meet new friends, but have a better education than public schools presented her with.
The young girl was firey and rebellious through most of her teen years, despite this, she continued to maintain a low A average in her classes.
At 17, she graduated half a year early, and was accepted into M.I.T for the following fall term. It was around this time that Tabbitha had began to dabble with robotics and mechanics, creating a few small gadgets. In early development of one of these, the device malfunctioned and systems failed, a small blade being pulled across her shoulder blade and to her hip. Project “ Dᴀʀᴄʏ “ was canceled and put into storage after she left the hospital with stitches.
At 21, Tabbitha graduated MIT’s Mechanical Engineering program, became employed by S.H.I.E.L.D, and began chasing her second degree in Nuclear Engineering.
At 23, she began to design small tech for S.H.I.E.L.D, having previously run maintenance on some of their existing mods. These included watches with tazers built into the clock face, and the like. This is also when she began designing her own version of the Iron Man suit.
