Big bang part one
Title: Red and the Headcase: The Wedding
Author: Twisterdrag04
Rating: PG
Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, and places - are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. No money is being made from this work. No copyright infringement is intended.
Summary: Ambrose has regained his memories and his past love and it's time for their future but all doesn't now ease on down the road so smoothly.
Author's Notes: I must thank my Beta cleo1969 and my test reader matilda36 for their constant support and encouragement.
Characters: DG, Azkadellia, Wyatt Cain, Jeb Cain Ambrose/Glitch, Lavender Eyes, Ahamo, OMC, OFC
Pairings: Ambrose/OFC, Hints of DG/Jeb
Fandom: Tin Man
It had been almost a year since Layla had fallen back into their lives and the threat of a possessed Zero was discovered and stopped. The past year had been one of great healing for Ambrose formerly known as Glitch and his beloved Layla and her brother Bay. It was a time of healing for all those still recovering from the Sorceress' reign and Zero’s tortures. Having Layla and Bay around helped Azkadellia and DG repair their relationship, providing the girls with little stories here and there about when they were growing up.
Cain had made Layla his second in command and DG once joked that while Cain was technically in charge, Layla was the one really running things. Bay often joked that she was his bodyguard. No one could send women of questionable intent running away from him like she did. At first Ambrose wasn’t so sure about her taking the position. It could be dangerous and he didn’t want to lose her so soon after getting her back. But after watching her disperse a bar fight with just a glare and a flash of her knife, he really didn’t have to worry as much.
It was a day for training the new recruits for the Tin Man force and Cain had assigned the task to Layla. He said it was because no one else was better at hand to hand than his beloved fiancée. She said it was just because Wyatt didn't want to get dirty while in the training pits. Ambrose decided to slip out of the castle for a few hours to watch the training. This usually brought out his greatest inventions and he needed some inspiration while using it as an excuse to see her beauty in motion.
Ambrose smiled to himself as he stood next to Cain, watching his love and a Tin Man-in-training circle each other. He knew how much she enjoyed these sparring matches. Nine times out of ten the men in training assumed she was just a girl who didn’t know any better. They assumed that she was there only because she was Cain’s best friend and had no real skills. He winced as she whipped her foot around catching the man hard in the knee. How sadly they all were mistaken.
“You know people might actually think she enjoys playing in the mud,” he commented to Cain
Cain nodded and smiled softly when Layla quickly jumped up after being knocked down, mud coating her hair and back.
“Don’t know why they would think that.”
Ambrose tensed up when the man connected with a harsh blow to her face, he could hear the bones crunch in her nose. Cain stopped him from interrupting the session and motioned to the pit. Layla, blood dripping down her face and all, had the man on his back with her knee pressing against his throat. Try as he might, he could not get her off.
“Layla…don’t break them before we can use them.” Cain called out.
Layla looked up at Cain and nodded before flashing Ambrose a smile. Her smile always did things to his insides. She released the man and held a hand up as a request to be helped out of the pit.
“Of course my love,” Ambrose said before taking her hand and pulling her out. Cain went over and talked to the recruits while Ambrose helped Layla clean up. Even when she was covered in mud she was still the most beautiful woman he had ever laid eyes on, and she was all his. He pulled out a rag from his pocket and ever so gently started to wipe the mud away, being careful of her nose. He couldn’t help but tuck a mud caked strand of hair behind her ear.
“I do hope you clean up before dinner.”
She laughed and he couldn’t help but smile brightly at her. She tilted her face up and gave him a quick peck on the lips.
“To what do I have the honor of having the Queen’s brilliant advisor visit me at work?”
“Well…I heard that there was this absolutely beautiful woman helping to train the new Tin Men and I just had to see for myself.”
She laughed again and kissed him once more. He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her closer. He just wanted her close to him, and if he got a little dirty as a result of that, so be it. She rested her head against his shoulder.
“You’re going to get dirty.”
“Well this sort of thing happens when you are in love with a mud angel.”
“Awwwwww.”
Layla picked up her head to see her brother standing by a tree grinning like a fool. She stuck her tongue out at Bay, which caused him to laugh. He walked over to his sister, dropping a kiss on her head.
“You look like you had fun sister.”
“Just teaching them to never underestimate your enemy,” she replied.
“And you didn’t enjoy it at all?”
She flashed her brother a grin. “No, not at all.”
“You are such a liar.”
She shrugged her shoulders. Bay reached out and tickled her. Layla batted his hands away and they playfully wrestled on the ground, Layla smearing some of the mud in her hair on her brother’s face. Ambrose stared on the scene with a warm affection. The past year of healing had been hardest on the twins as they had to learn how to relate to each other and their magic all over again.
After a few moments the twins got back on their feet.
“So what brings you out here Bay,” Layla asked as she created a ball of water with her magic to rinse the now dried mud out of her hair.
“Well dear sister I came to speak to Ambrose; not that seeing you has been unpleasant.”
Ambrose knew what Bay wanted to see him about. They had been working on a present for Layla that he was going to give her before they were married. They both knew how painful it was for her to be going through planning the wedding without her parents around, and they were trying to make something to help soften that pain.
“Ah yes our appointment. I’m sorry Bay. I was…distracted.”
“Is that what they call it now?”
Layla smacked her brother on the back of the head. “Be nice.”
“I am nice.”
“Children please behave.”
Bay and Layla turned around to see a smirking Cain. He had taken off his jacket but his much loved hat was still on. He was another one who had benefited greatly by the twins being back, especially Layla. They had helped him through his pain and grief. They also helped him rebuild his damaged relationship with his son. It helped the twins as well with their grief for their parents.
“Well I’m sure you two have so many security things to talk about and Ambrose we have things to discuss as well.”
Before Ambrose really could say anything Bay grabbed him by his arm and lead him towards the castle. Cain stood next to Layla and watched the two men walk away.
“Are you sure they will be alright alone?”
“Ambrose…absolutely.”
“And Bay?”
“He’s my brother.”
“That doesn’t make me feel better.”
“It’s not supposed to. DG will make sure they don’t burn the place down.”
Cain chuckled and Layla put her head on his shoulder. They stood there quietly for a few moments before Layla spoke.
“I miss them.”
He didn’t have to ask who she meant. She meant her parents and his wife.
“I know. Come on, it’s starting to get cold.”
“I can make fire you know.”
“Leave that to your brother and soon to be husband.”
Layla playfully smacked him in the shoulder. She grabbed his hat and put it on her head, knowing he would make no attempt to get it back. As she was the only one he allowed to do it.
As they walked he knew something was off. She was quiet, something that was rarely associated with her. He thought back to her statement, ‘I miss them.’
“They would be proud of you.”
Her whole back tensed. With her this conversation could go several different ways. How the conversation actually went only further showed him that she still had the ability to surprise him even after all these years.
She turned to face him, tears streaming down her face. He started to move before he could really think about it. She held her hand out, stopping him mid stride. She wiped her eyes and looked up at the sky, asking for help or sending out curses again for putting her in this position he didn’t know. So he waited patiently for her to speak.
“Proud? What did I do to make them proud?”
“You stopped Zero from destroying the O.Z.”
“I’m the reason he wanted to destroy it to begin with.”
“You can’t hold yourself responsible for what he did.”
“How about what I helped him do? Am I responsible for that?”
“Layla…”
“I helped him find your wife and son. I’m the reason he came after you and put you in that damn tin suit. Am I still not responsible?”
“Yes, that is what I am saying. It is not your fault. If you could have stopped him I know you would have. He forced your vision out of your eyes. That’s not something you can control. You didn’t put me in the suit. You…you didn’t kill my wife. I know you. I know you better than your brother and soon to be husband.”
He could feel the tears moving down his face and just as he could see them coming down hers. This was something they had pushed aside for a long time refusing to exam too closely. As much as it was hurting them, it was something they needed to do. They starred at each other for what felt to be a lifetime. The few inches separating them felt like hundreds of miles. She looked at him, and there was something different in her eyes, something…dangerous.
“You know me? You don’t know a thing about me anymore. I’m not the same girl.”
“Last time I checked you were still Layla.”
She laughed bitterly. For some reason the sound both hurt and angered him.
“You…don’t know a thing about me anymore. You never have. Did you know that everything about my life was planned from the day I was born? I was just a tool for whatever plans my father had and you know what, so were you. Everything that you have been through my father had known about he’d foreseen it all.”
Cain swung before he could even think about it. She dodged the swing and sent an elbow to his ribs. He grabbed her by her arm and flung her on her back. He pinned her down, pushing down hard when she struggled. He didn’t notice her reaching for her knife and slash his arm. The pain caused him to lessen his grip and it gave her the leverage she needed to get out from under him.
“Is this the thanks I get for saving your life?”
“You should have let me die!”
“I wish I did! I probably would still have a wife if it wasn’t for you! All I did was love you like a sister and what I got in return was nothing but pain.”
As soon as the words left his mouth he saw Layla almost instantly deflate and he wished nothing more than to take the horrid words back. She crumpled to the ground, and he seemed to be frozen unable to move to comfort her or turn away. She looked up at him and the pure pain in her eyes broke his heart.
“You don’t think I know that? I resisted for annuals. But eventually he broke me. He beat me, he shocked me…he…he...”
Cain watched her struggle with the words. He wanted to stop her, didn’t want to hear her confessions but he couldn’t.
“He did things to me I can’t even begin to describe. I begged for him to kill me but instead he would just cut into me. He took pieces of my organs to test…to see what made me tick. It was horrendous pain. Then he found a spell that forced my visions out of my eyes to be visible for everyone to see. Then a whole new kind of hell started. He added questions to his torture forcing the answers he wanted out in my visions. I fought as hard as I could. But…I failed. I failed…I showed him…Oh please, forgive me…”
She broke down in tears and Wyatt finally found himself released from whatever had held him still and able to move. He knelt next to her and gathered her in his arms, tears streaming down his own face as well.
They were two souls, both so broken and damaged that some would say they were even beyond repair. Maybe now with it all out in the open they could finally start to fix things, heal and move on with their friendship.
***
In Ambrose's lab, Bay and Ambrose were hunched over a worktable where Ambrose was making sure everything was in place. This was one invention that he wanted to be absolutely perfect. The two of them wanted to give Layla a very special wedding present and since anything store bought wouldn't be good enough they’d come up with this. After a lot of talk they'd decided to make something themselves. They'd come up with the idea to make something that would play memories of her parents for Layla.
Usually it took Ambrose no time at all to invent and build something but since this was for Layla it had to be perfect. That was the biggest reason why it had taken so long. That and Bay not being able to decide on what memory to chose so that they could test it out.
Ambrose fidgeted impatiently, "Would you hurry up! I want to test this before she comes back."
Bay thought it was adorable watching Ambrose fret over the gift and couldn't help but smile.
"Patience, Ambrose and relax," Bay remarked as he flipped a green holographic coin toward Ambrose.
The coin was the same kind he recognized from the incident with Tutor. He looked at his future brother-in-law and raised an eyebrow and got only an eye roll in return.
"Ah...magic remember? What does my sister see in you?"
Ambrose looked at him, unable to determine if he was joking or not. Then he saw the smile, and remembered this was the same twin that used his magic to redecorate Cain's bedroom in bright pink after he was 'mean' to his sister.
"I have no idea. She loves me though…not sure why but she does.”
Bay gave him a small smile.
“Well if it makes you feel better I have no idea why she is friends with Wyatt as well. So if I can’t figure her reasons out then it’s a definite sign you are meant to be part of this family.”
Ambrose chuckled then looked down at the coin and device in his hand.
“What if it doesn’t work?”
“Then we start again and get yelled at by DG and Layla when they come to put out the fire.”
Ambrose muttered something unrecognizable under his breath and slid the coin into the device. At first nothing happened, disappointing both men. Then something started to move. A square began to rise from the center. It flickered once then an image started to form in the square. It was their mother, singing to them in their beds. Despite putting the image on the coin, it still brought up some deeply buried emotions out of Bay. It was the first time he had seen or heard his mother in so long it was almost like a punch to the gut.
As the image faded, they knew they had figured it out. Now all they needed was to make more coins of recorded memories. They didn’t have a lot of time before the wedding, but they were confident they could do it. For Layla, they would pretty much do anything. Ambrose turned from the device and watched Bay for a few moments. Bay was not known for easily showing his emotions. Something he and his sister were well known for. But looking at him now it was obvious that the memory that was played had affected him greatly and he was having a difficult time hiding it. Maybe this gift would help him as much as it hopefully would help her.
***
Layla wasn’t sure how long she and Wyatt had been on the ground. They had knelt there holding on to each other as if one was the lifeline for the other. Each of them poured out their own pain without a single word spoken between them. Neither one of them had moved in quite some time.
"I think we better move so we can check on Ambrose and Bay before they blow up the lab again," Layla sniffled.
Cain nodded and carefully stood up, offering a hand out to her. Layla looked up at him for a few moments, not really sure about what to do. Wyatt rolled his eyes and grabbed her hand, pulling her up.
“I’m not going to hurt you Red.”
Layla shrugged and Wyatt let out a frustrated sigh. She was shutting down again, and he knew that this was something they had to talk about before things got this bad again. He swung at her, something he never would have dreamed of doing at any other time. Sure she swung at him back, but that was her way. If you attacked her she would attack you back. He never hit a woman before in his life, and it hurt all that more because it was her.
“Layla…I’m sorry I hit you. I’m sorry I said I wished you were dead. I…I didn’t mean it.”
“Wyatt, after everything that has happened to you because of me... I say it all was justified.”
“No…It’s not. You didn’t do any of those things to me or my family. I know how deeply you cared for my wife and my son. If you could have stopped everything you would have. I know you would have. I know he hurt you too. Stronger people would have broken much sooner than you did.”
She was quiet for a few moments and they started walking again. She bit her lip, as if she wanted to say something. Her restraint concerned him a little bit. She had never been one to censor herself or keep her thoughts to herself.
“What’s on your mind, Red?”
“I just…I wonder some days if our lives would have been easier if I would have just said yes to him.”
Before the sentence fully left her mouth Wyatt spun around and grabbed her by the shoulders.
“Don’t you every say or think anything like that ever again.”
“Wyatt…”
“No! You listen to me. He was an evil man before he aligned himself with Azkadellia. If you would have said yes to him he would have killed you. If he didn’t kill you he would have tortured you. I could not live with myself if that happened to you. Neither would have Adora. She loved you way too much to want that kind of life for you.”
He grabbed her chin so she could look him in the eyes as he spoke.
“Nothing is worth you going through that. You hear me? Nothing! Got it?”
She looked at him, her eyes seeking the truth in his words. He held her gaze, making sure she knew he meant every single word he said. After a few moments, she finally nodded.
“I got it.”
“Good.”
He let go of her and started walking. She quickly fell into step with him.
“So what do you think the odds are that something has blown up in the lab?”
Wyatt chuckled accepting the change of topic for what it was a truce.
“What no faith in your brother and soon to be husband?”
Her raised eyebrow was all the answer he needed.
“Hmm…while your soon to be husband has been known to set things on fire, since you came back he has been a bit more careful. Now your brother on the other hand…”
“I don’t know where we went wrong with him.”
She said it in such a serious tone that Wyatt couldn’t help but laugh. As they approached the castle, Wyatt saw that DG and Azkadellia were waiting.
“Ah, I see your planning committee is waiting for you.”
“Be quiet. They have been such a help to me. They have a touch with wedding plans that I don’t have.”
“That’s because they actually act like girls?”
She gave him a playful shove that knocked him into a tree, tripping him. Layla laughed and ran ahead of him before he had a chance to retaliate. By the time he had caught up to her she was already talking to DG and Azkadellia. The talk only lasted a few moments before Azkadellia was called by someone and excused herself from the conversation. He watched as Azkadellia walked over towards a small group and started to talk to them. He looked over at Layla, who was still talking to DG while keeping an eye on her other cousin. He nodded to her, letting her know that he would keep an eye on them. Layla continued to talk as they started to walk away. He could get back at her later without putting his favorite princess in danger. His revenge would have to wait for another day.
When the group Azkadellia was talking to started to walk away, he made sure that he followed them at a safe distance. The last thing that he wanted to do was cause a problem, but he wasn’t going to just let a princess go off without any protection. If anything happened to one of them, he didn’t have to worry about what the Queen would do to him. Layla would get to him first and he was almost certain that there would be nothing left of him afterwards. Next Part