──────────❝ 💌 ❞──────────

Billy and Stu weren't surprised to see Annie awake the next day, she had never been one to care about healing times or to care about the importance of rest after severe injuries but she did spend half of her life in a hospital due to her tumour in the past. "You need to heal, Anniebell," Stu whispered to his girl as he held her down by her shoulders. "His out there..." Annie growled out. "And you are safe in the hospital, plus Billy and I aren't leaving your side," Stu replied to her as Billy walked into the room. "Just got off the phone to your dad, he told me to tell you that if you don't stay in your bed, he'll send Gran," Billy told her prompting Annie to give up.

"I hate hospitals..." Annie told them softly but they knew the real emotions behind those words. "I can understand that, we both do but you were stabbed, Annie. You need to rest and heal," Billy replied as he brushed his fingers down her arm, the action forming goosebumps in its wake. "You two don't have to stay here," Annie told them as she closed her eyes. "You're my girlfriend, Anniebell," Stu spoke up prompting Annie to open her eyes and look up at him as he continued, "There is no where else that I'd rather be than right here with you... and Billy, of course." Billy scoffed with a small smile.

"He's right, Annie. You're my best friend and after what I witnessed..." Billy trailed off as he remembered how useless he had been in that moment. "Hey, I'd be dead if you weren't there, Billy," Annie replied to him as she took his hand in her own, "Thank you." He smiled and lifted her hand to place a gentle kiss on it, his gaze never leaving her own making her bit her lip; Stu smirking at the two. "I'll get you some proper food. The usual, Billy?" Stu asked, his smirk never fading as Billy looked up at him. "Yeah, sounds good," Billy replied as they conversed through their eyes. Stu leaned down and kissed his girlfriend before leaving the room.

"What was that about?" Annie asked Billy as he sat down on the edge of the bed, he reached out and brushed her hair to the side. "Don't you worry about a thing," Billy replied to her as he let his fingers brush against her bare arm, the feeling made Annie chew on her lip. "You make it so difficult to kiss you, you know that?" Billy asked her with a groan. "W-What...?" Annie whispered at his words, "You have a girlfriend, Billy, you can't..." Billy cut her off with a smirk, "Sidney and I broke up. No point in being with someone who doesn't trust me." Annie couldn't help but agree with that.

"I'm with Stu," Annie said with a conflicted look that told him all he needed to know about how she truly felt about him. "He knows that..." Stu spoke as he walked into the room with food in his hands, he hadn't needed to leave the hospital as Randy and Melinda had shown up with some for them. "But let's not ignore the obvious anymore," Stu continued as he put the food on the overlapping table. "What's obvious?" Annie asked in a smaller voice as the two boys shared a smirk. "You're still in love with both of us and we're in love with you," Billy finally spoke as he leaned closer to her, Stu watching the two with a sly smile.

"Well, uh... what should we do about it?" Annie asked them with an attempt to be confident. "I could think of a few things..." Stu teased before Billy cupped Annie's face in his hands. "May I?" Billy asked softly, Annie swallowed carefully before nodding causing Stu to speak, "Words, baby. Use your words." Annie's heart rate spiked at that and it was evident from the machine monitoring her heart rate, it made the two boys smirk. "Yes," Annie whispered and Billy immediately slammed his lips against her own, her heart was racing as she moved her lips against Billy's. She tensed for a moment when she felt someone's lips press against her jaw down her neck and to her shoulder.

"Such a good girl," Stu whispered in her ear before moving to kiss Billy's neck, "Isn't she, Billy Boy?" Billy pulled away from Annie with a smirk, "She is... our good girl." Annie whimpered at those words before she bit her lip watching as Billy turned and kissed Stu, the sight made Annie's mind flash back to the dream she once had and it made her feel hot. When they pulled away, their eyes turned to Annie who immediately flushed at the reality of this situation. "What does this mean for us?" Annie asked them. "It'll be the same as always, baby, but we're finally a complete puzzle," Stu answered her.

"If that's what you want?" Billy asked, his tone firm but his worried eyes revealed the concern he held. "Yes... it has been since we were kids," Annie answered him causing both boys' eyes light up. Stu placed a soft kiss on Annie's lips before smiling softly seeing her yawn, "All right, you need to rest. We'll be right here." Annie nodded before closing her eyes, the feeling of Billy and Stu's hands within her own helped ease her into a peaceful sleep. Billy looked up at Stu who had his eyes closed in pure bliss, "Happy, Stuey?" Stu opened his eyes and locked gazes with Billy, "The happiest, Billy Boy."

⁀➷ ⁀➷ ⁀➷

Within three days, Annie had been released from the hospital and left in the care of Billy and Stu due to the fact that her parents had an important meeting in New York that Annie forced them to attend. "You don't need to hover, Stu," Annie told her boyfriend, he rolled his eyes and continued to stand by her side ready to help if she needed it. Her stubborn nature prevented Stu or Billy from carrying her into the house that now had a police car parked outside to watch in case Cherub returned but Billy and Stu were determined to stay by her side as much as possible to ensure the new killer didn't harm her; And "protect" her from Ghostface.

Billy helped Annie into her bed while Stu prepped some food, the ravenette let out a breath of relief being in the comfort of her own bed rather than a stiff hospital bed. "Do you need anything?" Billy asked softly, he brushed her hair away from her face so it wouldn't bother her. "I just want to watch a movie. No horror though," Annie answered him with a quiet voice, Billy nodded and moved to grab one of the movies that held no horror or thriller themes. "Hey, Billy," Annie called out, he turned to her with a raised brow and a sweet smile that made Annie's heart skip a beat. "Thank you... if you hadn't of been there, well..." Annie trailed off.

"You don't have to thank me, Doll," Billy reassured her as he sat down next to her, "I just wish I could've done more." Annie frowned seeing the self-hatred for his attempt at saving her. "Don't do that, Billy. You tried, you couldn't have known that he would have been stronger in that moment. I'm alive because you were there," Annie told him as she reached slowly for his face, leading him down until their lips pressed against each other. Billy's heart soared, a feeling he had only gotten with Stu and yet, with Annie it was stronger. "No more guilt, okay?" Annie whispered against his lips. "Okay," Billy replied before kissing her again.

⁀➷ ⁀➷ ⁀➷

Annabell had received a phone call from Sheriff Burke informing her that Corey Hawkes -- the alleged Cherub Killer -- had been found in his cell dead. Annie was stunned to learn that he had died long before the Cherub returned to her life, she felt sick from the knowledge that someone else had taken the mantle and is now taunting her. Billy, Stu, Melinda and Randy had stayed with Annie after learning the truth along with the information that eight of the people she knew in New York had been killed by the same killer, a simple Cupid's Arrow left behind at the scene along with the slow reveal of her name written in a bold letters at each scene.

Randy had done his best to use his humour and ability to brush aside Billy's harsh comments to cheer Annie up and keep her mind off of the situation. Melinda had been focused on trying to piece the puzzle together after learning the whole story from Annie from the beginning of knowing Corey to the moment he had been caught red-handed -- literally. Billy already had the plan in his head to kill the bastard that did this to Annie -- to make sure it was the most painful experience they had ever suffered. And Stu was focused on brushing Annie's hair and keeping her calm, he knew Billy was after blood and he'd be there to help.

───────❝ 💌 ❞───────

───────❝ 💌 ❞───────

Rosemary Speaks

Not many chapters after this one.

Who do you think is behind the Cherub mask?

How do you think Annie will react to Stu and Billy being the Ghostface killers?

What will happen on Halloween?

Any extra thoughts or questions?

See you in the next chapter!