A_Heart_Adorned

The longer conversations between Jack and Elizabeth on the rumrunner's island, with her accusing Jack of selling Will out for the Pearl and Jack revealing how it was a bluff and showing off his scars--the extra gravity it added to his character and making it clear he's not invulnerable, the earlier leaning into the ruthlessness and conniving Elizabeth will go to when Will's in trouble...

Norrington calling Elizabeth out on her accepting his proposal for Will's sake and not out of sincerity, emphasizing his sincerity in his feelings for her. Maybe they felt it made her leaving him in the final act stand out more as too harsh, but I think it should have been kept--that decision of hers should be controversial, Elizabeth's brand of ruthlessness is part of what makes her complex

The exchange between Jack and Elizabeth on the Dauntless where they both acknowledge that they're hiding the curse from Norrington for their own objectives, and Jack first calls out how she's just like him with her having and pursuing ulterior motives--"peas in a pod, darling"

The extended post-flogging scene, where Will reveals he's been wrestling with the ramifications of potentially killing his father in the end of CotBP, and the first introduction of Bill's mind deteriorating--"It's not salvation you've found, it's oblivion"; it helps make Will's determination to save Bill have a sense of urgency that contextualizes his decisions in the back half of the movie

The entire first round of Liar's Dice scene, showing Will successfully free his father first and then pursue the key. It emphasizes Will's altruistic nature, which emphasizes the "what's dearest to a man's heart" conversation he and Jones have and--!!!; "you're a desperate man... it can only be a woman" / "a woman need not cause you to be desperate if you choose the right woman" and establishing the through-line of Will's absolute trust and faith in Elizabeth, which emphasizes the shattering nature of her perceived betrayal later (and is important to her shame and avoidance of him in AWE like asdkfjhdskjh!!!); the foreshadowing of "your fate is to be married to this ship" "I choose my own fate" "then it wouldn't be fate"; "you can't best the devil twice" "then why are you walking away...?"; it makes Will's logic for how he's approaching the game, and the "You just wanted to know where it was" make more sense; it makes so much more sense that Bill enters the game and Jones doesn't punish him, because he's free to do what he wants--and it makes him losing and spending an eternity on the ship mean something extra than it already did because Will had saved him and he tried to protect him back; and it all just freakin' flows better...!!!

The longer version of Norrington dropping off the heart to Beckett should have been the post-credits scene, not the prison dog stinger. Establishing a little of why he doesn't stab the heart himself, and showing the first inklings of doubt that what he's done is really the honor he thought it should be... It's much better for him AND Beckett

The cut idea that Jones taunts Governor Swann with Elizabeth's death, his attempt to stab the heart and Norrington stopping him. It does so much for all the characters involved--Jones attempting and having some ability to manipulate the situation in spite of his heart being in Beckett's possession; Norrington literally wrestling more openly and earlier with how he made the wrong choice--his tangible desperation and obvious affection for Swann coming through; making it clear that the stabbing the heart is a geas of Jones' machinations, not the same as the Dutchman's contract; Swann's desperation and rebellion against Beckett leading into his death; Beckett's "he'll obey, it's what he does" about Norrington which emphasizes the contrast between him and Will... This and the first round of the liar's the scene are the ones I'm most salty got cut

The longer deal negotiation between Beckett and Jack, establishing not only Jack's rejection of the slave trade but more importantly emphasizing how Beckett's aim is to commodify the entire world and everything in it, and how that's what's ending the world as they've known it. It helps emphasize how evil he is, how he's the face of the ruthless insatiable nature capitalism and imperialism and--!! That scene was so important for Beckett, and it helped emphasize the return of Jack as a "grand architect" who's capable of chess-mastering everything into position for the final battle, instead of purely improvisational and fleeing for his own skin

The conversation! Between Jack and Gibbs, with Gibbs questioning his motives!!!! In Shipwreck Cove! "You used to have an honest streak!" "Where did that get me? Dead--and I'm not going back again" It helps emphasize the "Living with yourself forever" line from Teague, and builds into Jack's decision to give up stabbing the heart for Will's sake in the end!

All of the small additional exchanges with Barbossa: Barbossa being suspicious of Will's "I got what I wanted" attitude in Singapore, Barbossa's more clear statements on the impact of the EITC's destruction of the world's magic and freedom and what's at stake for piracy and the world at large, the emphasizing those exchanges do for his "Too long my fate has not been in my own hands--no longer" and the parallel/contrast it provides for Will, questions of Fate/Destiny vs Freedom/Choice, and the power of Jones' geas

Tony stands abruptly from a chair against the wall but facing the doors. “It’s been hours and you three fucking think it’s okay to-”

Loki holds up a hand to stop Tony as your whole body starts to shake next to him. “My fault, Stark. I am sorry we were not all up there, but I believed that these two, of all of us, had a right to see what was going on.”

Tony’s face falls as do the others. “You took them to the observation deck?”

“Brother,” Thor speaks slowly, “was that wise? Taking he-” His eyes dart to you briefly then back to his brother, “them… taking them to watch?”

Bucky shakes his head and surmised, “Y/n didn’t watch. I did. She jus-”

“I listened. I… got to hear his heart beat.” You can see them all start to stand down as you speak, and your shoulders relax but a lump forms in your throat. “I got to hear it sto-“

“No.” Sam was looking you dead in the eye and you saw the dread and disbelief there, not willing to accept Steve might be gone. “It didn’t stop. He didn’t…”

Nat’s hand is on her mouth and the others watch you with slow expressions of dread before you can shake your head to stall them.

“I got to hear when his heart stopped, Sam. And when they restarted it. Three times. And that it was steady when we left.”

No one can say anything before the doors slide open and Dr. Strange joins you. He briefs you all on how it went, that they needed to do transfusions that didn’t want to take more than likely due to the super soldier serum, how extensive the damage had been, and that it had probably all occurred after her darted from the group on hearing about a threat to the tower, how it had mostly happened on his way here, alone with no one to watch his back, as he was trying to get to you.

There is no way in hell that you plan to leave his side after that. The team can only convince you to shower and change because they let you do so in the shower in his room and Bucky agrees to stay with him while you’re cleaning up. No one could guess how long it would take for Steve to heal and regain consciousness.

His heart connected to that monitor becomes your lifeline. The rhythm of it lulls and comforts you and is how you are able to relax and talk to your sister when she calls, how you can talk to the team when they come by, and it’s how you can relax and fall asleep on the pull-out bed next to him at night.

You’re almost napping in a chair, hand in one of Steve’s and head on the edge of his bed, on the fourth day when that rhythm changes. It picks up and though you notice it instantly, you are so exhausted that you can’t seem to get yourself to wake up, to bring yourself back from that murky edge of sleep where nothing feels real. The gentle squeeze of your hand, however, has you bolting upright and instantly alert.

Those two blue eyes are the most beautiful thing you have ever seen as Steve looks at you with a soft smile. “He-” his voice strains from negligence but you almost sob in relief at hearing it, “Hey, Doll.”

“Steve, you’re awake. You’re alive.” You have both hands on his as you look him over.

With a soft single laugh, he softly tugs on your hands until you climb up into the bed next to him, resting barely against his side. “I’m alive.” He confirms, resting a cheek against your head. After a moment he clears his throat a bit. “I… I don’t remember how I got here though… I was out fighting with Nat… and I was fine. A little sore… but after that things are a bit… dark.”

Your mind is going a million miles a minute. If he doesn’t even remember why he was coming back to the tower, then he must not remember what you said to him. You don’t know if you feel relieved or disappointed.

He has you put the head of the bed up so you are sitting together before you speak. “You came back. I guess they threatened the tower, an-”

“And you were here, and I was the only one who knew. That’s right.” He has one arm around your shoulders so you can rest against his chest and with his hand on that far side he starts to absentmindedly play with the ends of your hair. “But… was I shot? Or stabbed? Why am I here?”

“You lost just over a half-gallon of blood, which according to Strange is about as much as you can lose before you die by the way, out of a bullet wound on your chest, several stab wounds, and a nasty slash to your side.” You softly touch each area with your fingertips, knowing the locations from the memories of trying to stem the flow.

“And to top it off, you had a few internal injuries that needed repair and you needed two blood transfusions.” Steven Strange says as he is standing in the doorway, arms folded behind his back, eyes on Steve’s vitals.

Tony is standing just behind him, not doing a very good job of keeping the smug smile off his face as he looks dead at you. He raises a brow and lets the smirk fill his face as you make eye contact and you can almost hear the comment in your head about being curled up on Steve’s bed with him. The two of you had had a hushed conversation in the corner if the room about what you had confessed to Steve that night. You were adamite that Steve just felt for you like a friend and that you wouldn’t do anything to jeopardize that with him. Tony told you that you were fully blind if you thought Steve didn’t look at you differently than other women. Right now, he looked like the cat that caught the canary, watching Steve play with your hair.

Dr. Strange lays out Steve’s prognosis and healing and it all sounds very positive. In very little time he should be totally unhindered and back to normal. It takes a little while after that for Steve to convince you to go back to your own rooms, shower, and get some quality rest. He does have a steady flow of visitors now that he is awake, so you finally concede.

Things quickly fall back into a more normal pace and Steve is out of the medical wing a few days early, the Super Solider healing more that Dr. Strange even calculated for. There are no missions on the schedule for a while to let everyone adjust, so you busy yourself with stepping up your game and making sure meals are always available and coffee is flowing strong 24/7.

It doesn’t surprise anyone that Steve struggles with the fact that he doesn’t remember much of what happened. You find he and Bucky sitting up one night, processing through events. Steve has his eyes closed and is recalling part of the journey home when you walk into the room. Apologizing you retreat quickly, and you end up in the kitchen trying to distract yourself from the fact he might remember what you said and that would change everything.

One evening you run into Bucky and he gives you the impression that he might be doing some processing with Steve tonight. It’s later that night, to late for you to think the others are still up, when you are up alone reading on the couch in the living room and are startled by hearing a door somewhere on your level fling open and get firmly shut. You put your book down and move towards the sound to see what was wrong, who was up and what they needed.

You don’t find anything as you move along the kitchen or the hall, so you head to the conference room to check, just in case. No one is in there when you go into the dimly lit room, so you turn to leave but as you do, the door slides open to reveal Steve standing there, eyes piercing as he took you in, the rise and fall of his chest rapid as if he’d been running, and a muscle in his jaw clenched. He looked almost frantic.

You’re to your feet faster than Steve is but he’s on your heels as you sprint through the hallway toward room 23.

“Move! Move!” You yell thankfully people scatter out of your way. You can hear the alarm going off from two rooms away and somehow you’re the first person in the room. The alarm is loud and she’s flatlined you hurdle up onto the bed, straddling the patient at the waist on the bed you start the chest compressions, you’re too short to do the proper depth of compression unless you’re on the bed. You hear Steve call for the defibrillator but at this point he’s just background noise. You keep doing compressions, pausing every 30 compressions to check for breathing. Nothing.

“Steve. I need oxygen.”

“Yup.” He’s already getting the tubbing together and has a mask attached. He straps it over her head and you glance over at the heart monitor. Still nothing. “Was she at risk?” He asks as he gets the oxygen going.

“I don’t know. She’s not one of Rumlow’s today.” You tell him as you continue the compressions.

“Anything?” Bucky asks as he comes rushing into the room with the cart.

“Not yet. What’s her name?” You ask.

“Tanya Finley.” He says passing Steve a pair of scissors.

“Tanya I need you to fight please.” You say softly as you continue the chest compressions, “You’ve got more life to live. Fight for me.”

“Lucky I need to cut her gown away.” Steve says.

“Then do it.” He gets in your space, his arm is between yours by your face, he’s so close to you as he cuts her gown until your hands are in the way you move them and he continues to cut until he’s cut away at the whole gown. You start compressions again and he and Bucky attach the pads to her.

“Lucky you need to get down.” Bucky says preparing the machine to shock Tanya.

“Help.” You reach for Steve who wraps his arm around your waist and pulls you from the bed.

“Reading.” Bucky says, as you and Steve watch anxiously. “Shock advised. All clear.”

“Clear.” You and Steve respond and Bucky shocks Tanya.

No heartbeat. Steve takes over the chest compressions, it’s easier for him at his height to reach her on the bed.

“Clear.” Steve steps back and you instinctively grasp the back of his coat just needing something to hold onto. Her body convulses slightly and by some miracle her heart starts again.

“Yes,” You breathe, “Good girl Tanya.” She’s still not conscious but her heart is beating and she’s breathing on her own.

“I see why Carol was so pissed you wanted to come here for a while.” Steve says softly. You glance up at him and see the admiration on his face.

“You were badass.” Bucky agrees, “You took over that scene like nothing. Even Cap was listening to you.”

“Trauma prepares you for just about everything.” You say with a shrug, their praise is kind of embarrassing.

“Buck, what the hell happened here?”

“I don’t know. She was in for an infection, but her vitals were fine. She’s on the mend and didn’t need anything stronger than antibiotics.”

“People don’t just flatline!” Steve hisses and Bucky looks surprised, you grab Steve’s forearm and give it a gentle squeeze. He needs to stay calm.

“I know that!” Bucky growls back and before this can devolve anymore you clear your throat.

“Gentlemen, maybe it’d be better to have this conversation in your office?” Steve nods and he and Bucky leave the room. You don’t follow, if anything comes from it that you need to know Steve can tell you. Natasha hurries into the room then to check Tanya’s vitals, they’re normal but she’s still unconscious.

“Is she one of yours?” You ask and Natasha nods. “What happened?”

“I have no idea. I gave her some antibiotics a half hour ago but she was awake and alert when I was in there.”

“Any allergies?”

“None.” Natasha looks genuinely stressed out by what’s happened. “Can I tell you a secret?” She asks, her eyes meeting yours and you nod. “This isn’t the first time this has happened.”

“What do you mean? She’s coded before?”

“No, not her. We’ve had a couple of deaths lately, ones that seem,” She drops her voice to a whisper, “suspicious.”

“Have you told anyone else?” You whisper back, you don’t want to give away that you know. The fact that she’s telling you doesn’t make her any less suspect either, in fact it might make her more suspicious due to the fact that she knows.

“No one here. But I know that Steve has noticed.” She whispers.

“What do you mean no one here?”

“I told my husband Clint. He’s a cop.” Wait, the cops know?

“Does Steve know you told the police?”

“I told my husband. Not the police. There’s not an investigation going on or anything but there might be soon.”

“If they know why isn’t there an investigation?”

“They’d gut the whole staff and Steve would be in huge trouble.” She’s not wrong.

“Do you have any idea who it is?”

“No, but I know it isn’t Bucky.”

“How do you know?”

“It’s pretty rare that he’s around for the incidents, this is the first time he’s been actively involved with the recessitstion. I’m more suspicious of Rumlow or Quill. They both have a hero complex and that’s more than a little dangerous.” You nod in agreement.

“We didn’t lose her, maybe she’ll be able to tell us who was last in her room.” You tell Natasha as you head out of the room and crash directly into one of the security guards. “Ow.” You grunt and both he and Natasha chuckle softly.

“Sorry. I was just coming to check on the code black.”

“She’s stabilized but not out of the woods.” Natasha tells him with a tight smile, “she hasn’t regained consciousness.”

“Hopefully she regains consciousness.” He says peering into the room. “Should I post Sitwell down here? Incase she regains consciousness and needs someone.”

“I don’t think it’s necessary, do you?” Natasha asks looking over at you.

“What would it hurt? Is Sitwell doing other important things?”

“Nah, he’s just hanging out at the security desk downstairs with Savin and Brandt.” You glance over at Natasha and give a little shrug and she gives you a nod back.

“Sure. Why not?” You agree and he smiles.

“Not a problem.”

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June. I hope to be trapped forever and ever. Bye.

target women’s section: would you like to have a giant scoop neck that would definitely like completely show at least one of your boobs. would you, an adult woman, like to wear a crop top? would you like to look like a human piñata. BLACK? I think you mean jewel tones babey!

Pride and Prejudice (2005) | North and South (2004)

“What were you thinking?” Your dad snaps, and for once in your life you honestly have no idea what he’s talking about.

“Sorry, what?”

“Why would you get your grandpa all excited to meet some fictional character!”

“Uh dad-“

“Why would you do that? I know he’s old and more gullible than he used to be but honestly!”

“Dad-“

“I’m not done!” Your dad snaps and you drop your head into your hand. Oh god he’s so embarrassing. “I’m just so ashamed of you.”

“Excuse me.” Steve interrupts, his voice low but it’s enough to shut your dad up, “I’m Captain Steve Rogers, the fictional character.”

“Prove it.” Your dad snarks up at Steve.

“Did you not see him just move my plane?” You cry pointing at the aircraft. “God dad, get ahold of yourself.” You mutter as Monty comes back into the hangar with the tow bar.

“Um, what the hell?” He asks you with lifting the bar in his hand.

“Steve moved the plane.”

“And you didn’t record it for me?” Monty chirps as your dad shifts awkwardly. Something Steve notices as he narrows his eyes at your father. You pass Monty his bag and then glance up at Steve.

“We’ll have to stop and get you some new clothes.”

“I’m not stopping anywhere.” Your dad counters looking more irritated by the second.

“Good thing we’re not riding with you. Monty’s car is here.”

“I drove all the way out here just for you.”

“Well, Maybe next you’ll call so you don’t waste your time.” You tell him softly, turning away from him and when he goes to follow you Steve blocks him, just subtly enough that you almost don’t notice. “I’m so sorry.” You mutter knowing that Steve can hear you.

“You’re not responsible for your father.” He says gently.

“God, can you come meet my parents? Maybe they’d finally get off my back about marrying Indy.” You wrinkle your nose in disgust and Monty laughs.

“So you two aren’t a couple?”

“No, we’re both playing for the same team.” Monty quips causing Steve’s eyebrows to furrow, “I’m gay. I date men.”

“Oh,” Steve says softly before giving Monty a kind smile, “I knew a few fellas in the service like that. Not that they could ever say anything because it was illegal.”

“So it doesn’t freak you out?”

“Uh, no?” Steve looks confused, “You’re not hurting anyone right?”

“Right.” Monty affirms and Steve nods again.

“Alright then.” Steve says and it seems like you’re moving on from the conversation. “What infantry did your grandpa serve with?”

“Actually, he really didn’t serve like that. It was more spy work. He doesn’t really talk to me about it. But that’s the way with a lot of vets, they don’t like to talk about their service.”

“It wasn’t easy.” Steve agrees solemnly as you make your way to Monty’s Jeep.

“I’ll climb in back, Steve.” You tell him and you’re surprised again when he holds out a hand for you and helps you into the car. “Thanks.” He gives you that little smile of his.

The ride to your grandparents is loud in the back of the Jeep but you don’t mind, it’s nice out and it gives you time to relax.

You must drift off because before you know it you’re driving up the mile long gravel driveway that belongs to your grandparents.

“Oh shoot! Monty we were gonna go get Steve some new clothes.”

“Oh, we did. You were sound asleep so we left you.”

“What? Really?”

“Really.” Steve affirms, “I was going to wake you but Monty advised against it. We didn’t get much, just the basics.”

“Wow, I’m so sorry. I didn’t know I was that tired.”

“It’s alright. Now I know that if a meteor drops on your grandparents place to come get you.” He teases and you’re glad he’s able to relax, this can’t be easy for him.

When Monty parks on the side of the driveway you hop out of the back before the car has even turned off. You hear the front door open and move easily into your grandpa’s open arms. After hugging your grandma you introduce them both to Steve.

“Captain Rogers, Retired Colonel Henry Jones, you can call me Indiana.”

“Pleasure to meet you Sir.” Steve says shaking Your grandpa’s hand.

“Come on in,” your grandma says warmly, “Indy, how long are you staying?”

“Depends on how long it takes me to find what I’m looking for.” You tell her and she hums.

“So much like your grandfather.”

“You say it like it’s a bad thing.” Grandpa says and you laugh softly.

“According to dad it is.”

“Did he catch you at the airport?”

“He did.” You affirm and both your grandparents roll their eyes. “Exactly. He thought I was lying!”

“Oh Indy I’m sorry.” Grandma sighs and you give a little half shrug.

“So you go by Indy and you’re Indiana?” Steve asks as the five of you settle down in the living room.

“Correct,” Grandpa says with a smile he passes you your laptop and you get to work while he, your grandma and Steve talk. Monty has pulled out the papers from Steve’s plane again to continue translating them.

Grandpa hasn’t lost his touch. He’s found that four of Steve’s unit, the 107th are still alive. As is a woman that seemed to work closely with their team a woman named Margaret Carter. You assume that’s Peggy. Timothy Dugan, Jim Morita, Gabe Jones and Sam Sawyer are all still alive according to Grandpa’s work. So, you get to work digging deeper.

Three hours later you’ve got places on all five people. You smile at the notes you’ve taken on your notepad before stretching your arms to ceiling.

Peggy Carter lives in DC at an assisted living facility while a man named Timothy Dugan is in Missouri, Jim Morita is in New York City with his son, Gabe Jones is in Arizona and Sam Sawyer is in Florida.

“So Indy, you find them?” Grandpa asks and you give him a smile before looking at Steve.

“You’ve got 4 men left alive, I have all their addresses. Also, Peggy Carter is still alive.”

“Peggy?” Steve breathes and you know then that that alone is enough for him.

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