11/29 Instance: A Gargoyle Roams the Grounds

[JackSkulls]

Timeline a day after Release the Beast

<Christopher> Chris sat in his cell his eyes finally fixed and his skin almost back to normal except his hands and feet. "I know they said I can leave.... but." He sighed looking down at his clawed hands.

<Hope> "But what?" Hope asked, grabbing the last of her own things.

<Christopher> "I'm not fixed..." Chris moved his fingers the claws weren't as bad, they had mostly gone away but still held on at the end of his fingers like a cat's.

<Hope> "Still waiting on the point," Hope looked over at him, pausing what she was doing.

<Christopher> Chris sighed. "You're not going to let me get out of this are you?"

<Hope> "No." Hope told him matter of factly.

<Christopher> "Fine... Lets go. You always pick the weirdest clothes for me to wear anyways." He sighed trying to play that off as an excuse.

<Hope> "Yeah I don't think a tuxedo at a black or white tie affair is that weird, but ok, darlin." Hope rolled her eyes and picked up her bag. "You coming?"

<Christopher> "You make jokes because you know I won't fight back." He followed her out of the room.

<Hope> "No... not really." Hope sighed, running her fingers through her hair. Maybe this was a mistake.

<Christopher> "You okay?" Chris moved over to her and took her hand carefully.

<Hope> "I'm not the one we should be worried about," Hope carefully squeezed his hand, mindful of the claws.

<Christopher> "Who should we be worried about?" Chris looked over at her.

<Hope> Hope gave him a look up and down and stated walking again.

<Christopher> "They said I'm fine to leave..." Chris chewed his lip as they started walking again. "Should we go back?" He was starting to get worried that he would freak everyone out. He had just been on the news for killing people.

<Hope> "You're fine," Hope told him, exasperated.

<Christopher> "Sorry." He kissed her cheek. "I'm probably infuriating you..."

<Hope> "No, you aren't infuriating. You're just insecure. And it's hard to deal with," she admitted to him.

<Christopher> "I know Hope... I'm just not good at this, I'm used to fixing the problems not having to be fixed." Chris gave her his best apologetic look.

<Hope> "I know... I get it." She kept walking with him. "I'm not used to doing the fixing. I'm used to getting fixed."

<Christopher> "You're good at it." He kissed her cheek.

<Hope> "Not really, but thanks." Hope fell silent for their walk.

<Christopher> "Yeah you are. You could have left. I wouldn't have blamed you."

<Hope> "I'm not that kind of person, Chris. I don't bail just because things are bad."

<Christopher> "I know, it's one of the things I love about you, you're amazing."

<Hope> "Well... I don't feel that amazing, but ok. Thanks," she smiled a little at him.

<Christopher> "Too bad, you are." Chris kissed her cheek.

<Hope> Hope smiled a little and opened the door of the trailer for him.

<Christopher> "Woah... it's uhmm clean. It can be clean?"

<Hope> "If you pay people enough it can be." Hope smirked at him.

<Christopher> "How much did you pay then. A couple thousand?" He stared at the room. "It was... destroyed before I left."

<Hope> "Eh, give or take." Hope shrugged and moved to unpack her things.

<Christopher> "I don't deserve you." Chris kissed her forehead. "I really don't."

<Hope> "At least you know it," she teased, smiling at him and kissing him softly. "I missed you."

<Christopher> "I'm sorry you had to go through that." Chris kissed her back. "Plus side of these I don't have to wait for you to take your clothes off?" He gave her a wicked smirk.

<Hope> Hope punched his arm for that one. "Nice try." She smiled though, and unpacked her things.

<Christopher> "Ouch... and here I thought you were coming on to me." Chris laughed a little but without his powers the punch actually hurt a little.

<Hope> "You are still recovering," she pointed out.

<Christopher> "Sorry." Chris pouted a little. "I can't believe they actually got this place clean..."

<Hope> "Let's just say... they were well compensated."

<Christopher> "You're the best girlfriend in the world." Chris kissed her again. "I owe you... for eternity."

<Hope> "Just doing what needed to be done. Hardly the best in the world." Hope sat down on the bed.

<Christopher> Chris explored a little finding a baby blanket and a toy or two. "Babysitting hun?" Chris looked back at her.

<Hope> "Huh?" Hope looked up, her eyes landing on the baby items. She had almost forgotten. How had she forgotten? She took the little blanket giraffe from him and looked at it, stroking the head gently. "Something like that," she told him softly.

<Christopher> "Hope... What's wrong baby." Chris carefully slid his arms around her.

<Hope> She shut her eyes at the word baby. She didn't have words. Her hand rested on her stomach, her head on his shoulder. "Everything," she finally answered.

<Christopher> "It's okay. I'm back now, and I'm never going away again." Chris held her close.

<Hope> Hope couldn't keep it in anymore. She cried on him. She cried hard. "I lost it..."

<Christopher> Chris didn't know what she was saying at first, but when he felt her tears he knew. "God... I'm so sorry Hope. I should have been here with you!" He carefully rubbed her back and kissed the top of her head.

<Hope> She nodded, still crying against him. He should have been there. "Not that you could have helped." But maybe she wouldn't have lost it.

<Christopher> "I could have helped you." Chris carefully led her to his chair so they could cuddle. "I'm so sorry Hope. I wasn't there for you when you needed me."

<Hope> "It wasn't exactly your choice to be away," Hope pointed out, trying to not cry on him anymore.

<Christopher> "I probably could have stopped whoever it was if I wasn't stoned out of my gourd.... In some way it was my fault, and I'm sorry so sorry."

<Hope> "Maybe... but it doesn't matter now. You're here now, and that matters."

<Christopher> "I'm not going anywhere, I promise." Chris kissed her forehead and cuddled with her.

<Hope> "Never again," she told him.

<Christopher> "Never. I'll never make you go through something like that alone again."

<Hope> "Ok," she relented, trying to make herself as small as possible in his lap. She was surprised that the claws were actually kind of comforting. He could slice and dice anyone who tried to split them up now.

<Christopher> "When I'm allowed my powers again I'll be your indestructible boyfriend forever I promise." Chris rubbed her back slowly. "I don't know how to apologize for all you had to endure."

<Hope> "Never do drugs again? Never abandon me to do drugs? Never get yourself kidnapped for doing drugs? Also an ice cream sundae."

<Christopher> "So thirty gallons of ice cream and a trip to whatever store you want with my credit card?"

<Hope> "You know I have just as good of a credit card, right?" she smiled a little though.

<Christopher> "Yeah but then it's not me giving you a gift." Chris kissed her softly. "And then I'll take you out somewhere nice when I'm better...."

<Hope> Hope studied him for a moment. "Acceptable." She rested her head against him again, getting comfortable.

<Christopher> "Lots of love and kisses too?" Chris kissed her nose.

<Hope> "That's a given," Hope told him, but smiled when she thought he couldn't see.

<Christopher> "I'm glad to have you back in my arms." Chris nuzzled and kissed her neck.

<Hope> "Me too," Hope told him, snuggling him. "Do you remember any more of what happened to you?"

<Christopher> "No." He lied. Chris was starting to remember each face of the families he murdered. "I'm sorry this all had to happen."

<Hope> "Me too. If I had been around more... maybe I could have stopped you."

<Christopher> "It's not your fault. You didn't know. I did my best to hide it cuz I knew it was stupid...."

<Hope> "Well so long as you know it is stupid." She smiled and yawned a little.

<Christopher> "Bed?" Chris carefully slid his arms under her.

<Hope> She nodded, holding onto him. "You'll stay... right?"

<Christopher> "It's my bed isn't it?" He kissed her and picked her up.

<Hope> She laughed and kissed him again. "Yeah. I kind of moved in."

<Christopher> "Oh hmm taking steps forward without me. Next you're gonna be proposing right?" Chris kissed her a few times playfully.

<Hope> "Doubtful, but you can keep your hopes up," she teased him, kissing him back.

<Christopher> "But I look so pretty in a dress." Chris nipped her lip.

<Hope> "You would. And a garter. And heels! You'll be the prettiest girl at the ball," Hope laughed at him and snuggled him.

<Christopher> "Will you be my prince charming?" Chris gave her an eskimo kiss as he laid her down into the bed.

<Hope> "Absolutely, Princess!" Hope smiled up at him. "I love you."

<Christopher> "You're horrible." Chris snuggled into bed with her. "I love you too."