James Goldstein

NAME: James Raymon Goldstein

ALIASES: Former last name was Fuentes until he was adopted at 16 by the Goldsteins

AGE: 54 [Born April 2nd]

GENDER/PRONOUNS: Cis Male, He/Him

SEXUALITY: Bisexual, preference for particularly masculine men and all women

CLASS/HIERARCHY: Virtue Knight

OCCUPATION: Police Lieutenant, does PI work on the side

HOUSING: Joan of Arc's Refuge, unit 2b with his calico Missy

GOOD: Courageous, Honorable, Loyal

BAD: Abrasive, Cynical, Self-Destructive

QUIRKS: Spattering of tattoos and scars, each having different stories to tell from James’ life. A bit of a goof once you get to know him.  Adores cats. Is incredibly good at his job but has two major fears: clowns and bugs, especially spiders.  Tends to be a workaholic because he genuinely believes in the good he can put out in the world through his profession.  Is adept at both boxing and ju-jitsu. Has blue-yellow color blindness. Has to take monthly Iceheart tonics since the incident.

BIOGRAPHY

James lost his biological parents in a fatal house fire when he was 11 years old. For 5 years he bounced around the foster care system, the experience ranging from okay to downright horrific.

At 16, it felt like a cruel joke when it was announced he was getting adopted. No one wanted teenagers, that was the harsh reality. And yet, the moment he met the Goldsteins, faces smiling, his new little brother running up to hug him, James hoped that if it was a joke they would let him keep living the lie a little longer.

His new family gave James all the love and support they could offer, helping him to flourish and thrive. However, he was at a loss for what to do with his life, no real purpose or goals. That changed at 19, when his adoptive father’s locally run barber shop was robbed and James hated how incompetent the Knights were in the case.  He swore to do a hell of a lot better than they ever did.

Things went fairly well for James throughout his adult years.  Sure, his love life was abysmal, too many partners complaining of him already being married to his job, but overall, he was happy.  It was a good life, for all intents and purposes. He rose up the ranks rather quickly as a Knight, showing a lot of promise in his sharp intelligence and compassionate heart, even under the gruff demeanor. 

After an incident on the job left his right leg in a cyber-enhanced brace, James slowly became less active on the field.  When his work partner Elijah got selected for Gambit, James was as proud as could be.  But his mental health also suffered without his old partner and best friend there to be a buffer.

James would never admit it to anyone but working as a Knight for 32 years really was starting to take a toll on him.  He never talked to anyone about how it was affecting him, seeing the most depraved of humanity at times.  The mental scanners strongly suggested he take Iceheart, but James refused every time. And yet, it was becoming harder to go into work each day.

The official report says James was found drunkenly passed out at Seraphina Sanctuary on a bench, his service pistol clutched tightly in hand.  After that he was forced into treatment, both for severe depression and alcohol addiction, and moved into a purely administrative position.  He still struggles with sobriety, his smoking intake significantly increasing now that his ID is barred from purchasing alcohol.

Bio

James has no memories before the age of 11; they were taken from him in the same car accident that took his parents. For several years he bounced from foster family to foster family, until eventually being brought to Hiraeth by his new adopted family, the Goldsteins. At 16 James finally knew what it meant to have a real family again; people he loved, who loved him back. For a couple years after high school, James was at a loss for what to do with his life, until he became inspired to join the police academy.

Being a beat cop in his town was far from glamorous, but James enjoyed the work. He felt like he could really make a difference in the lives of others. One day he was called in to the edge of the woods, a reported animal attack on a late night jogger. The scene was a gruesome mess, one that left James' mouth dry and skin pale. As a nearby bush rustled, he reached for his service pistol but it was too late. All he saw was fur and teeth. It was a miracle that another patrol came by, scaring off the creature. There were hushed whispers between officers as James struggled to remain conscious. The only word he could catch was "alpha" before everything went black.

The weeks following that were a feverish blur, one where James was kept in a room he didn't recognize. Those that came into the room though, they were people from town, people who greeted him regularly while he was out on patrol, who were friends with his adopted parents. Once the worst of the fever had passed it was explained to James what had happened: he had been bitten; he was now one of them.

It was an agonizing adjustment, but one he didn't have to deal with alone. If it weren't for the other wolves, his packmates, James wasn't sure where he would be. Likely broken, drowning in booze, one full moon away from ending it all with a silver bullet. James realized he had three families, each one just as important to him: his adopted family, his brothers in blue, and his packmates. As the years went on he became more and more established in the latter two, until finally he reached the top of the department and the pack. It wasn't from any aspirations for power but a mutual trust and respect from his family that landed him in these leadership positions.

Connections

The Wolf Pack

Every single member is special to James and he would do absolutely anything for them, even if it means a bit of tough love when he needs to put on his sheriff hat. Oakley in particular has become like a daughter to him.

Full Circle

Once James felt fully in control of himself he decided to start fostering, to be to kids what his own family had been to him when he needed it most. Through this Noah came into his custody and the two bonded quickly. Deciding the last thing he wanted was for Noah to go back into a cruel system, James officially adopted him as his son.

Fated Mate

Songs James Likes

Paint it, Black // The Rolling Stones

Maybe then, I'll fade away And not have to face the facts It's not easy facing up When your whole world is black

She's Kerosene // The Interrupters - I'm a match, she's kerosene, you know she's gonna burn down everything

Boys Don't Cry // The Cure - I would say I'm sorry, if I thought that it would change your mind

Rose Tattoo // Dropkick Murphys - I'd wake up every morning and before I'd start each day, I'd take a drag from last night's cigarette

Hurt // Johnny Cash - I will let you down, I will make you hurt

Monsters // Shinedown - Don't get angry, don't discourage, take a shot of liquid courage

Songs About James

Happiness // Three Days Grace

I feel them judging on me for their own pleasure If they really knew, they'd know better That I'm the one who caves under pressure When desperate times call for desperate measures

Karma // AJR - I've been so good, why am I feeling empty?

Numb Little Bug // Em Beihold - I don't feel a single thing, have the pills done too much?

Serotonin // girl in red - I'm running low on serotonin, chemical imbalance got me twisting things

Sounds Like // Rise Against - If everything that we love will burn down, then should we love no one and nothing?