A/N: As usual, I would recommend putting the video on loop.

Resting back against the maroon armchair, he had the footrest propped up. Earlier, he had managed to change his clothes, and he was thankful for the stool in their closet so that he could sit down for part of the process. An olive green pullover and grey lounge pants covered his form, and he had taken another pain pill to help with the soreness of his left ankle. Soft bandages wrapped around his injury, and he slightly could feel the fabric rub against the stitches there.

Against the left arm of the chair, his crutches rested. Briefly, he glanced to them before he leaned his head back against the chair. He combed his right fingers through his auburn locks and closed his eyes. Slightly, pale morning light shone through the windows' glass and dark brown chiffon curtains. He frowned a bit, but he was also thankful that it was morning and that he remained living.

Still tired from it all, he slowly opened his green-hazel eyes back up. They fell upon Chris's form. Her chest was rising and falling in a steady pattern, which eased his mind and heart a little. The entirety of her lower leg was bound in a black cast, and it was propped up on a stack of two pillows. Near to her side of the bed, the left one, were her own set of crutches.

Deidre had been kind enough to help position Chris on the bed before she had gone off to help Nick with the creature and (f/n). She had returned a little while later to change Chris into comfortable, clean clothes. Ren couldn't have been more appreciative, and he would've place Chris back on the bed if he could, but his own injury prevented him from doing so unless he wanted to risk hurting the two of them more.

He smiled some at her peaceful form. A black flannel pajama set, with blue snowmen and snowwomen on it, kept her warmer as did a plush brown blanket. Her light brown locks were no longer in a ponytail, and they framed her face gracefully as though she hadn't endured the nightmares of the night. Perhaps, Deidre had brushed Chris's hair too. Either way, he was grateful that she was alive.

Memories of her jumping out of the floor and shoving Callest aside entered his mind, and he would've laughed had the situation not been so dire. She could've been killed in a few seconds if not less; he could've never had the opportunity to ask her, and his heart clenched at such a thought. He knew that it was soon to ask since they hadn't even known each other for a year, but after the evening, he didn't exactly want to wait too long either. Ren knew that he would regret not asking, and he knew also that he wanted to ask her.

Releasing a quiet, drawn-out sight, he hoped that he wouldn't make things awkward between them. They were technically dating, but she might not be ready. The possible consequences of his action scared him, but it terrified him even more that he might've lost that opportunity the previous night if things had taken a turn for the worse. Almost, they did. Had (f/n) not made it through her surgery, he'd be dead in a vet's office or tossed somewhere else where he wouldn't be found. That would've been the same for ... Chris even if she had saved (f/n).

A quiet moan, though, woke him up from his thoughts. He sat up abruptly and winced when his ankle protested. His optics, however, focused on Chris. She tried to shift around on the bed, but her right leg gave her trouble. The difficulty to move caused her to furrow her brows, and her hands pushed the blanket somewhat off of her in frustration. Ren would've chuckled had he not been worried about her hurting herself.

Reaching for his crutches and putting down the footrest of the chair, he stood up and made his way slowly over to her. He never had crutches before, so they were a little odd to move around with, but he was gradually getting the hang of them. When he was at the bed, he set the crutches aside and seated himself on the right side of the bed. Ren scooted closer to her carefully before he propped up a pillow behind his back.

Leaning against it, he gently grabbed Chris and helped her turn onto her right side so that she could be more comfortable. A quiet moan of relief parted from her lips, and her hands switched from the blanket to his pullover. Her head rested partially on her pillow and on his lap. Across his lips, a gentle smile formed. About to brush some of her locks aside, his left fingers paused as she furrowed her brows again. Over her full lips, a pained pout formed, and he checked on her nightstand to guarantee that there was a bottle of pain relief pills and a glass of water there. Thankfully, there was.

Ever so slowly, her eyelids blinked open to reveal tired, confused light blue optics. She blinked a few more times as her hands tugged at his pullover a little more. Recognizing the shirt, she stared up. "... Ren?" He smiled and proceeded to brush back some strands of her light brown hair. Instead of a smile falling over her lips, tears began to form in the corners of her eyes.

Instantly, he grew concerned, especially when she tried to sit up. Hurriedly, he helped her into an upright position and positioned her pillows in such a way so that her right leg still would be propped up. Chris finally noted the condition of her leg, and her eyes focused back on Ren. A mixture of puzzlement, pain and relief filled her eyes. "Does it hurt? I can grab the bottle and water for you." Briefly, she examined the room until her eyes fell onto the two objects.

Lightly, she shook her head before she averted her eyes back to him. "I'm fine right now ... Well, not really, but I ..." She trailed off as her mind tried to process everything, but her tears began to trickle down her cheeks. Gently, he wiped them away with his thumbs. No smile greeted her lips, but she leaned into his touch. Her hands lifted up to rest over his, and she closed her eyes momentarily. "You're not dead," she muttered out as she squeezed his hands a little bit. "I thought that I'd never wake up and see any of you again. I thought that I had failed and that you had been killed along with everyone else."

Her fingers wrapped around his, and she leaned towards her right. She fell against his chest, and her right hand dropped his left, which wrapped around her waist and held her close. Ren kept his other hand against her left cheek and rested his chin on top of her head. "We're home. We're safe for now." A sob parted from her. "We made it, and it's thanks to you."

By a little bit, Chris froze. She pulled away from him somewhat and met his gaze. He smiled softly to her. "You saved (f/n) with the stunt you pulled, and because of that, we made it out of there."

Chris searched his eyes. "You're keeping something from me," she managed to mutter without being interrupted by her tears.

"The creature ... Ether ..." Ren sighed and looked over to the bedroom door. "He's ... here." Chris froze again, but Ren pulled her back. He could feel her limbs shake slightly. "But, he's with (f/n). He's only focused on her, and he's keeping us safe." He practically could see the expression of disbelief upon her face even though it was pressed up against him. "With him here, there's less of a chance of Callest attacking us."

"... I never want to see him again." Ren stared down to her. "Callest. Never again. Ether ... I'm terrified of him, but if he's not going to kill us ..."

"You saved (f/n) for him; he seemed ... grateful to you." He smoothed back some of her hair softly. "He won't hurt you, and he's promised not to hurt us, but we should stay cautious. As for Callest," Ren pulled her back carefully and moved his hand to cup her cheek, "I ..."

"No," she immediately cut him off, but she didn't move from his touch. "You can't protect yourself or me or any of us from him." Tears started to fall again. "That's why I'm so scared. I had to ... I had to ..." She broke her gaze from his. "Everything that had happened to Nick, Deidre, (f/n) and you, I had to listen to it all. I had to hear their screams, your screams." Her hands clutched his pullover, and she leaned forward, resting her forehead against his chest. Hearing his heartbeat calmed her a little, but she tightened her grip on him regardless.

"I never want that to happen again, but I can't prevent that if he comes back. You can't stop that even though I don't want it to happen." Tears stained his shirt heavily, but he only held her closer. "That's why waking up here ... I'm happy, but I'm also horrified. And, we only hav-hav-have him to help us!" She cried more, and it nearly tore Ren apart. "I hate this!" she practically screamed into his shirt and chest. Her voice was muffled, and she choked back a sob. "I hate this, I hate this," she continued to say in a quieter tone.

"Chris ..."

Not able to say more than her name, he was cut off by her. "But, I'm ... I-I-I-I'm so grateful too." He knew her pain. They had survived, and they were back home, but the future still held grim possibilities for them, and they had to rely on the one who had killed Nick's old group to protect them. "Because otherwise," she released another sob, "... Otherwise, I wouldn't be here with you now. And, I was so scared that I was going to lose you, all of you."

Allowing a soft sigh to part from him, he gently lifted her head up. He met her teary gaze, and he smiled as he wiped away her tears. "But, you didn't. We're here. You managed to fight your fears and do something amazing." Ren touched their foreheads together. "You saved us; you allowed us to be here now." She tried to glance away, but he continued to hold her face with both of his hands. "You were strong for all of us last night, so let me be your strength now." Again, a sob exited her. "Let me fight your fears with you so that you never have to worry about being alone again. Let me always stand by you."