The Guardian Angel

Despite their previous, rocky relationship, Calvin and the healers of St. Mungo’s had come to some form of an understanding. This understanding had never been discussed, but it had become evident to Calvin when they’re attempts to prevent him from setting foot in the room Chase had been provided, ceased. After several weeks Chase’s caretaker had, at last, called off her dogs. And just in time, in Calvin’s opinion; in his many attempts to return to his beloved’s side by going to such extremes as climbing through her window, or darting past a group of healers who had, without a doubt, dabbled in wrestling at some point, Calvin had painted every visible patch of skin from his shoulders down in multicolored bruises. Hadn’t he been granted permission to visit Chase, Calvin may very well have permanently stained his arms green. Since then, the bruises had healed - to some extent. His own, minor injuries were not his main concern, however; he had someone of far more importance in mind that morning.

“Good morning Chase!” Calvin squawked as he slipped inside the small room Chase had resided in for the past … month? Months? Calvin hadn’t paid his calendar nearly enough attention during the time Chase had spent in the hospital. In fact, he’d taken to avoiding the thing at all costs, as it often left him feeling hopeless. “I made some pancakes at home and put them in a box. I thought you might want them, because I remembered hearing complaints about- ” Calvin stopped speaking abruptly when his eyes met with Chase’s limp figure. Calvin had arrived a bit earlier than usual, as it were. "Shhhh!" he ordered himself.

The amount of sleep Calvin got when he returned home, too, had become nothing more than a small blot in his memory, and thus he had taken to showing up at St. Mungo’s the very second they’re visiting hours began. On the rare occasion that luck was on his side, Calvin was granted permission to remain with Chase all night. Only then did Calvin permit himself to give in to his exhaustion. Otherwise, he left the apartment at the same time each morning, before the sun had been given the chance to assume its usual position in the sky.

A yawn tore through Calvin’s chest as he tiptoed towards where Chase lay. Despite his genuine effort to remain quite, however, he could do nothing to prevent the toes of his sneakers from squeaking loudly along the polished floor beneath him as he walked. He winced, and allowed his long brown hair to fall over his face, as though he believed that he could reverse the damage he’d done by hiding from view. “Sorry, Chase,” Calvin whispered, only to realize a moment later that by apologizing for having made such a racket, that he was only worsening the situation.

Double sorry, he thought.

Chase turned over in her sleep, messy hair lay about her face, sweat graced her forehead, and a frown made her look even thinner then she already was. She hadn't been eating well, despite the efforts of St. Mungos, and Chase was losing weight much to quickly, she was skin and bones in the bed, and no matter the attempts made by the Hospital, it seemed they had given up on her, and were simply waiting for her to fix herself by herself. There was no other help for it. Chase heard squeaking in her sleep, and rolled over. A small kitten lay nestled against her side, and it mewled, sitting up and peeking over Chase as it stretched and yawned, looking at Calvin like he was reprimanding him for disturbing Chase.

Chase made a small noise, and woke with a start, gently picking up the kitten and sitting up, her deadpan stare turning towards Calvin. "Oh.." She whispered, her eyes locking on the man who she knew she loved. "Calvin.. you're back..." She said softly, her eyes finding his. The glimmer in her eyes had grown stronger for days now, and even the nurses were starting to notice her improvement, she was eating more, and shaking less, the chain still attached her to her bed, a small thin on that could only be taken off by a nurse, much like the door vaults in Gringotts, only opened by goblins, these chains could only be removed by certified nurses of the hospital, making sure she couldn't try and run.

"Calvin... I missed you." She said and held out a hand for him. It was obvious how much Chase was struggling to come through, her emotions were pretty blank, but she was showing obvious signs of remembering, when he had first woken her up, she hadn't even known who he was, when her mind had gone into battle, it was obvious that she was having a hard time, and her body was reflecting that. Dark circles under her eyes, her skin was pale, and she was shaky and almost always cold, wrapped in a blanket, watching him with large round eyes, the the fact of the matter was, she was slowly coming back, slowly, VERY slowly, but she was pushing, the battle was nearly over, and she was ready to go home.. she just needed a little help. "I love you.." She whispered, before looking at her hands. "How is Katie? Does she remember me?" She asked before looking up at him, scratching at her neck, before letting her hand drop, she knew what it was like to be wrestled, screaming, onto the bed, her fevered mind making it impossible for her to understand that they were trying to help her.

She knew what it was like to be restrained to the point of pain, and bruises on her wrists, because there was nothing else they could do, they'd rather her have bruises on her wrists, then for her to scratch open her own throat, which she tended to try and do. The chain had been altered so that if she held her hand to her neck to long, it tugged it away, making sure she couldn't scratch for to long, and now she found herself looking at Calvin, gently leaving forward and grabbing the small kitten, Albus, from the end of her bed and pulling him onto her lap, snuggling him, before reaching out a hand to Calvin.

Among many other things, kittens were a weakness of Calvin’s. They were capable of pulling his attention towards themselves, rather than whatever, or whomever Calvin had previously been focused on. In this particular instance, a small, fuzz-ball of a creature had managed to steal his attention away from Chase – something which not even Calvin’s best mate, Reid was capable of doing anymore. The kitten stared intently at Calvin, as though attempting to speak to him by putting to use some sort of Jedi-kitten mind force that the writers of Star Wars had mistakenly left out of the saga. But Calvin only smiled widely at the kitten, evidently unaware of the fact that he was being glared at. “Awww!” he breathed, and leaned towards the unusual-looking pet in an attempt to take it up in his arms and hold it close.

Calvin never got that far, for his attention had been averted (yet again) before he’d had the chance. “Chase!” He greeted her enthusiastically after realizing that she’d come to. “Are you feeling any better, Chase? Are you hungry? How did you sleep? Who is this cute little kitty? Can I hug him, Chase? Can I please hug you, Chase? You haven’t started scratching again, have you? Can I take a look to see if the old cuts are healing? Does anything hurt? Do you want me to open the window to let some light in? Oh no,” Calvin inhaled deeply as a key bit of information dawned on him, and cast Chase an apologetic look. “I-I-I – uh - woke you up, didn’t I, Chase? I-I-I’m so sorry! Do you want me to - to be quiet? I-I-I can sit over there if –uh- if you want. Do you want me to let you sleep some more? I’ll –uh- I-I-I’ll go sit over there.” Had Calvin set a record, having asked so many questions in such a short period of time?

In a hesitant manner, he took a seat in the chair that he’d referred to, and inhaled slowly. The importance of breathing on a regular basis was often forgotten by Calvin when he was presented with such a fine opportunity to rattle off every thought that came to mind. Like a bomb, the moment Calvin was lit, he found that he could do nothing to prevent himself from continuing on with his round of Twenty Questions until he collapsed.

After having tapped the toes of his sneakers against one another repeatedly in order to release the sudden bolt of energy that’d struck him at the sight of his beloved, Calvin lifted his chin from his chest to meet Chase’s eyes. For a moment he’d attempted to remain silent, but the moment of peace was short lived due to Calvin’s desire to continue speaking. Before he could pin his tongue to the bottom of his mouth with a pair of his teeth, Calvin’s mouth flew open, and once more he began. “I miss you, too,” he replied, though he’d used a different tense in his version of the sentence. Calvin had not missed Chase. He continued to miss her with every second that passed by and she remained in her hospital bed.

Calvin smiled bashfully in the redhead’s direction. He was beginning to believe that he would never grow used to Chase’s affection, whether it be verbal, or physical. In fact, the warmth that washed over him upon being told that he was loved was enough to lift him from his chair, and to drive him towards Chase’s bed, despite his promise to remain in his chair in order to permit Chase a few more hours of rest. He came to sit at the foot of her bed and reached for her hand, much in the same way that he’d reached for the kitten she held. “Forever,” he agreed, and offered her his hand.

“I promised to help her remember, remember?” Calvin inquired, and could do nothing to prevent the giggle that his choice of words induced. “I tell her bedtime stories about you. OH, and she’s started drawing stick figures”- with his index finger, Calvin drew a stick figure in the air – “with your orange hair,” he informed her happily. A job well done. If only for a second, Calvin relished in the feeling of having done something correctly.

Chase was suddenly assaulted by questions, but she was used to this, and she waited until he realized he was being loud and asking a lot of questions before she spoke. "Calvin.. don't worry... please, don't be afraid to be yourself around me." She smiled at him carefully, reaching out towards his hand. "I'm fine, not hungry, not scratching... much." She said, hoping he wouldn't look at her neck, there were fresh cuts there from this morning. "You didn't wake me up.. I rolled over on top of Albus.. oh, this is Albus... Jack gave him to me." She said softly. "I named him because of his little white beard." She said softly, and then frowned, looking up at him. "You can hold him." She said holing the kitten out towards Calvin and giving him a rare smile, a smile she only reserved for Calvin, no one else had managed to make her show as much emotion as he was able to do just by walking into the room.

When he half flung himself at her bed, she moved over slightly so he could sit next to her. But suddenly, one simple word, made her not able to hear anything else he said. She watched him as though deaf as he outlined a stick figure, and his lips moved, but something odd was happening, the room was spinning, it was dead silent, and Chase stared in shock at Calvin. Shock so clear, she knew it might scare him, and knew there was nothing she could do to help that. She was being sucked into a place she had never been before.

A battlefield.

That's what it reminded her of. There were piles of dirt everywhere, fallen trees, and blood was spattered on the ground. But it was dead silent, not a whisper was uttered, and all around her, were people. People staring at her, pleading, people wanting her attention, but unable to come nearer to her. Chase stared around at the people, and suddenly her attention was caught. "Chassy?" A voice whispered out, lighter then the wind, almost her imagination. "Chassy.. thank you." They whispered, and suddenly it started to get brighter. "We only want you happy.. be happy Chassy." The voice whispered, and Chase finally saw the face of the person talking. Her younger brother Max. A sob choked her throat, and she looked at them, and then all around her. Her family, her ancestors, everyone she was related too.. everyone who counted on her baby to let their family survive, all reached out, and gently touched her as one, as Max came forward, the one to gently hold her hand as she fell to her knees.

"Be happy Chassy." The little boy whispered, holding her hand. "Be happy.. he loves you, forever.. did you hear that? The word you told him to say when you were ready... you're ready Chassy.. the war is over, we all won.. it's over, and you can be happy again.. you can live again.. you don't need us anymore." Chase looked up in shock. "No... no.. don't leave me, please." Max smiled and gently touched her forehead, suddenly her father was there, standing beside her little brother. "Chase.. we are so proud of you... so so proud of you.. you've raised Katie, and got out of a bad situation.. you graduated school, and got a job... you are our little girl, and we love you.. please be happy." He whispered and pulled her off the ground, hugging her, a chain of her ancestors touching his shoulder, connecting her to everyone.

"Chase.. go to him now.. you are ready.. the war is over, Barker is dead... you can be happy now.. you will be safe with Calvin... and you will be okay, help Jack... help her with her plans... be understanding, as ever. Keep a smile on your face, and remember us... don't forget what happened here, but don't let it stop you either... Chase.. we love you.. it's time to go back now." They were all smiling, so happy, and Chase, very carefully, smiled. It was as though the new Chase, the unemotional, dead pan stare, disappeared in a puff of smoke, and Chase's grin grew, and her smile grew wider, and her mind grew clearer. She remembered the battle that her mind had shut out, she remembered the pain, and the heartache, she remembered it all, but it was like trying to remember the pain of giving birth to Katie, it wasn't as bad now as it was then. "Thank you.." She whispered, and a sudden gust of wind blew all of the figures away.

In their place, sunshine lit up the meadow, the piles of dirt moved back to their places, the trees regained their proud stances, the sunshine lit up, birds chirped, and a golden glow was cast on everything. Wind brushed the trees, and a squirrel slid down the side of a trunk, chirping at her, before picking up an acorn and running back up. Chase carefully sat down on the soft grass and looked up at the gently clouded sky. It smelt of spring, and she was finally home.

A sudden smile filled Chase's face. "Calvin?" She asked, opening her eyes, not realizing she was laying back on her bed, her eyes closed, a gentle smile on her face as she slowly sat up. "Calvin.. is that really you? Calvin! CALVIN!" She suddenly yelled out and half flung herself in a hug at Calvin. She had been completely unconscious for nearly half an hour, breathing gently, a worried frown, turning into a peaceful grin before she had woken up. "Calvin! I missed you so much! Oh Calvin!" she threw her arms around his neck and squeezed as hard as she could, which wasn't very hard again, simply because she had lost so much energy. "I"m back! Oh Calvin I'm back! I fought and I fought, and I'm back! I'm home.. Oh Calvin I'm home!" She sobbed, happy tears cascading down her cheeks as she brought her hands to his face and pulled back, kissing his cheeks, his forehead, his lips, every inch of skin she could find she covered in light kisses. "Ohhh, I missed you so much! Lets have pancakes Calvin, and go on a picnic.. and take Katie! And Reid if he wants to come, and watch Spongebob! Oh Calvin, I missed you so much." She pulled his lips to hers in one long, amazing kiss, nearly losing all of her air before she pulled back, searching his eyes for a reaction.

As Calvin’s questions were answered one by one, he ticked each off of the mental list that he’d created for himself. There truly was no point in asking questions if the answers were disregarded, after all. Not to mention the fact that every word that fell from Chase’s lips had been deemed holy by the young man. Her every sentence deserved to sit upon the pages of the bible, amongst the words Jesus Christ himself had spoken aloud during his time on Earth. Chase was a goddess – her hospital robe, scarred skin, and all. As far as Calvin was concerned, he was lucky to be in her presence, let alone to be permitted to love and to care for her.

Was Chase hungry? No. The pancakes are getting cold and mushy, Calvin noted mentally, and cast the box upon her bedside table a longing glance. It had certainly been far too long since his last batch, for his stomach had begun to ache painfully beneath the numerous layers he’d dressed in.

Had she begun scratching at her skin again? No. But this reply was evidently a fabrication of the truth. Even the oblivious Calvin Ransom could determine that for himself. “Lemme see,” Calvin pleaded desperately, and extended his index figure towards Chase’s newest wound. With her permission, Calvin was certain that he was capable of healing any physical injury Chase presented him with. After having pulled Chase back from the brink of death, superficial scratches were no longer a challenge to Calvin. In fact, during his time spent around Chase, he’d grown to be a far more impressive version of himself. Perhaps it was a symptom of the love that he felt towards her. Or maybe Chase had intended from the very beginning to show Calvin what he was made of. Whatever the cause, however, the change had occurred, and Calvin expected that his raised expectations of himself would be of a great benefit to him during this difficult time that he’d been presented with.

Had Calvin woken Chase? No. Immediately, relief flooded Calvin’s senses.

Who was the kitten? His name was Albus, and Jack had given him to Chase.

Could Calvin hold the kitten? Yes. Chase made a move to exchange the kitten to Calvin, and at once he leaned towards Chase, and bent his arms at their elbows in order to cradle the animal properly. “He does have a beard!” He exclaimed, and snuggled closely against the kitten’s fur. Holding the gentle creature so near granted Calvin a comfort that he hadn’t expected to experience during his time spent visiting Chase in the hospital. In fact, he’d forgotten the feeling entirely. Unexpectedly, Calvin’s heavy heart grew that much lighter. Perhaps animals truly possessed healing capabilities…

True to the nature of Calvin’s luck, however, this moment of tranquility was hastily stolen from the young man the moment he returned his smiling eyes to the female he sat beside. Surely, he’d said something that he should not have, for he could find no other reason for the expression of utter shock that had appeared upon her face. No other human being had joined them in that undersized hospital room, that Calvin was certain of, and he'd been the last to speak aloud. Acting hastily, Calvin made an attempt to recall his previous statement.

Forever. Calvin Ransom had promised to love Chase Moor for all of eternity. He’d promised her forever. But this word alone was not enough to get such a reaction out of Chase, for this was not the first time he’d offered her the word. There was something far more important occurring before Calvin’s bewildered eyes; something that he’d forgotten.

"You've always been there for me Calvin.. and I want to be there for you.. that's why I need you right now... Calvin... you know I need to do this... and.. and, I may not be myself... I may not know you for a while... but when I start waking up.. you have to tell me one thing... tell me that you'll love me forever okay? When you say that.. I might be able to come back... Calvin, I WILL come back.. and I'll come back as fast as I can okay?”

Calvin launched himself towards Chase as she lost consciousness, as though he believed that he could assist her in her return. The battle that she’d fought for so long - surely, it had to be coming to an end... but Calvin would not allow himself to put Chase in the risk of doing physiological damage to herself on the off chance that her journey may have reached its end. He crumbled beside her, with his spine arched and his fingers trembling as they ghosted above her heart in search of a pulse. “Nurse!” Calvin screeched over his shoulder.

-

Calvin may as well have tattooed tears to his freckled cheeks, with how often they’d been stained with them as of late. Even as he slept and his breathing grew dangerously slow, tears slid down his face. They clung to his eyelashes. Collected in puddles at the corners of his lips. Wet the edges of his sleeves. Clung to the tangled hair that hung about his face. It would not have come as a surprise to the young man if, after Chase’s recovery, he found himself incapable of crying any longer. If there was a supply of the salty droplets – a given amount per human being – than, surely, his eyes would soon run dry.

Upon being told by the healer that he’d called for that he hadn’t found anything of any threat to Chase’s health from her tests, Calvin had immediately set to work on healing his beloved on his own. In a state of disparity, he’d resorted to offering up his own life source to Chase once more, and he’d continued to do so until he’d fallen asleep in a heap at her side.

“Calvin?”

He stirred, but did not wake immediately. His pulse had grown weak, and he found that movement had become painfully difficult. But Chase could be quite the alarm clock…

“Calvin… is that really you? Calvin! CALVIN!"

“Chase?” Calvin called, and peered through a pair of sleep-blurred eyes. He sat upright, and fought through the sting that such an action created. Alas, Chase had awoken, but she had returned from far more than a half-an-hour’s shuteye – a truth which was made clear by the way in which she greeted Calvin, and spoke enthusiastically. Emotions had become scarce. Other than the occasional grin shared between the two, it had become difficult for Calvin to get any true reaction out of Chase. But this excitement that Chase exhibited, it was undeniably pure.

The goddess had returned.

“Chase!” Whether Calvin had sobbed, screamed, or cheered her name aloud was impossible to determine, due to the overwhelming emotions and physical pain that he’d begun experiencing. Calvin was wrapped in a warm hug, and he nearly melted. “I-I-I thought I-I-I’d lost you!” he informed her. He may have been able to prevent himself from breaking down in Chase’s arms, but he found that he could do nothing to regain control of his trembling lips.

As though Chase had noted this fact, she brushed her lips against his, and once more Calvin found himself considering the possibility of a shared connection between the two of them. This kiss was only the first of many, however, and Calvin was pulled from his thoughts. The familiar feeling of blood growing warm beneath the skin of his cheeks was nearly enough to send Calvin into a fit of laughter. After such an agonizing absence of the Chase Moor that he’d fallen in love with, Calvin was still incapable of reacting properly to her affection.

Chase was back. She really had returned, and Calvin didn’t know which emotion he should give into first, for he’d been overrun by thousands of them.

Chase saw the tears, saw the weakness in him, and she was shocked. What had happened to her Calvin? Why was he crying? It was her fault! She held onto him for dear life, holding him to her, rocking gently as she moved to his side, holding his hand, whispering words of comfort. Her Calvin was hurt, and it was her fault. "No... no you'll never lose me Calvin.." She whispered, looking around the room frantically. What could she do?! How could she fix him? He looked so weak, so tired, and forlorn. Chase held onto him and gently rocked, smiling at him. "I'm here Calvin.. I'm here... I'm home.." She whispered and smiled at him, watching his face struggle to show emotion. "Don't you dare leave me Calvin S. Ransom... I just got here." She said immediately, knowing if she did, he would listen to her. He had to.. she needed him! He had been there for her, and now suddenly something was wrong with him.

"Calvin.. I'm back.. I'm here, okay? I'm here.. and you're here.. and we can be together, forever right? Forever! You said we'd be together forever." She whispered, tears starting to spill from her own eyes. "Calvin, I love you so much.. I love you, thank you.. thank you, you saved me Calvin! Look, I'm back, and you saved me.. you did it.. It's all thanks to you!" Chase pressed her hand against his cheek, smiling at him gently. She moved so she was sitting nearly right in front of him on the floor, staring into his eyes.

"Calvin, look at me please... I love you.. you are my hero! My hero, my love, my angel! You've saved me so many times.. so many more times then you realize... when the world felt so dark, and dreary, and unhappy... you came into the room.. and I may not have shown it.. but my heart lifted up, I got so happy, and I fought on! I fought on for you! Waiting until you said that word.. that one word which brought me back.. I'm so sorry I scared you! I didn't mean too! I won't leave again, I promise.. it's over Calvin.. I'm here, and nothing will tear me from you again.. not Felix Barker... not Bloody Voldemort or Grindelwald okay? I'm here to stay! I'm here, and I'm with you, and this whole nightmare is over." She said and wrapped her arms around his neck, holding him, feeling her heart beat speed up, feeling her coldness be warmed, feeling the spider webs at the corners of her mind be blown away by the sheer power of Calvin's voice and face, and happiness. "Smile for me.. please." She whispered, begging him.

[OOC: I feel like that was such a lame post after your post as Calvin.... v.v sorry]

“I’m OK…” Calvin assured Chase after it had been made evident that she was concerned for his safety, but his words did not have the desired effect, due to the way in which he had unintentionally allowed his voice to trail off. Calvin had convinced himself that Chase would not awake before he had recuperated from his attempts to heal her. He had assumed that he would recover quickly, and that Chase would never learn of the fact that he had grown so desperate to return her to her original state, that he had resorted to such drastic measures. Had he predicted that he would cause Chase such an extensive amount of anxiety by having driven himself so far, perhaps he would have deciding against healing her. Or, perhaps not; the sight of Chase – the honest-to-God Chase – was enough to convince Calvin that he had received far more in worth than the price that he had paid.

“Chase,” The young man began, but was once more faced with the incapability to complete his sentences. Had he the strength for such emotions, Calvin surely would have grown frustrated with the fact that he could no longer speak freely in the way he so strongly desired. He wished to console Chase; to inform her that he would be right as rain once more, after a moment’s rest. Too, Calvin felt that Chase deserved a proper greeting, after having been absent for so long. Despite the fact that she had been physically present during every visit that Calvin had paid her during the course of her recovery, he had come to miss her to the same extent that he would have, had she left him as a whole. When Calvin had spoken to her, when he had offered to brighten her room with drawings from both himself and Katherine, when he had pinned said pieces of art to the ceiling above her bed for her to look at as she laid there - and even when he’d begged her to come back, it had been as though his every word had gone unheard.

At the thought of the masterpieces that he and Katie had spent so many afternoons creating as presents for Chase, Calvin’s eyes floated upward lazily so that he could take another look at them all. Each piece of colorful construction paper reminded Calvin of how much he had missed Chase – how much he missed Chase even then, as she held him close and begged that he remain with her. Oh, how he longed for happiness with Chase. It seemed like it had been an eternity since he had last shared a laugh with her. Since he had last seen her happy.

Calvin recalled the last, joyful day that he’d spent with Chase. It had been a simple afternoon at the park. The first windy day of Autumn. Calvin had brought with him a kite, and had gotten himself tangled in its string for hours. Over, and over he’d asked Chase to untie him, but she had every time, and she had laughed at the pout that he’d worn when a strong breeze had past them bye, and he had missed the opportunity because he’d grounded the kite again.

For a brief moment Calvin remained motionless, until at last he managed to return his eyes to their original position, locked with Chase’s. He smiled, and very slowly his lips fell apart, “I’m not leaving. You just got back.” He blinked, but one eye reopened later than the other, as though it was no longer as responsive. His head slumped slightly against Chase’s, and he smiled against her forehead. “And we haven't spent our 'forever' yet.”

Chase was bemused, and shocked, and upset, he was so weak, so tired, and she knew that the only thing both of them wanted was for them to get home and be normal again, and now she could do that! She could hold him, and love him, and things would be just fine... everything would be fine. When his voice came out so weak and tired, she couldn't help but hold him tighter and rock gently with him. "It's okay love... I'm here.. I won't leave again, I promise... I promise you no matter what, I won't leave again.. you just gotta stick with me now.." She whispered, and held onto him, willing her love to help strengthen him. She didn't have the same power Calvin did, the ability to heal in such a way as to use her own energy to restore him, but she willed that she did, mentally sending all of her strength, all of what was left of her into Calvin, pouring in the love that she felt for him.

"It's okay Calvin, I'm here.." She said smiling at him, and then started talking, filling the room with her voice. "Remember that time we went to the beach with Katie? And she loved the water so much, she kept splashing her feet in it, and giggling like mad.. or the times we went to the park.. and we sat and leaned against each other while Katie played on the blanket, and the wind blew around us, and the sun filled the park." Chase whispered, calling to mind beautiful memories. "And remember all of the times we would play with the kite, and you kept making it fall, and I would untangle you over, and over, and you just kept getting stuck." She said smiling, and resting her forehead against his, cupping his face with her hands. "Remember our first kiss Calvin? I was so embarrassed.. I need a shower so badly, and I needed help getting undressed, and then.. I kissed you... and you fainted." She grinned at the memory. "I thought I had killed you... you were out for nearly ten minutes.." She said, pressing her lips to his forehead again.

"Every time we touch Calvin.. I feel so much love.. it's like electricity flows through my veins, and I feel a shock, and it's so wonderful, butterflies erupt in my stomach, and I realize that I was stupid before... I should have never been with Elijah.. I should have been with you.. since we first met outside of The Leaky Cauldron." She said smiling. "I knew the day I met you we would find each other again.. you are my savior Calvin.. you saved me so many times there is no possible way I can thank you enough, besides being here for you.. making you smile, leaving each day in your arms... I don't want to lose that Calvin.. so you have to be strong..." She whispered, and then looked at him. "You gave me energy didn't you? Well I need you to take it back.. I'm fine Calvin! I am...you need it more then I do... I'm back, I love you... please... feel better, I won't ever leave again, I promise." She whispered and held him closer, rocking back and forth. "In my mind..." She whispered, saying things she knew she probably shouldn't, but meaning every word. "It was like a warzone.. there were piles of dirt everywhere... and trees were uprooted... and when you said forever.. that one, tiny word... it was like the world got color again... I lived, the ground replaced itself, the trees went back into the ground, and it was a beautiful meadow.. a meadow we can share Calvin okay? We'll be together forever, and I won't ever leave your side." She said smiling at him and kissing his cheek, his nose, his eyelids. "Come back to me and smile Calvin... come back to me and we can do that... live forever, you, me and Katie.. Reed can come too if he wants to." Chase said letting out the tiniest of giggles before she let out a full out laugh, her eyes absolutely gleaming with love and glee from finally being back in the world of the living.

In a slow, lazy motion Calvin nodded his head. It was the simplest acknowledgment of Chase’s words that he had been able to think of, and yet, Calvin found that his spine creaked and complained as he did so. Up and down, he reminded himself, but his thoughts were groggy, thus making it difficult to get any message across to his appendages. The purpose of the action had been to inform Chase that he understood what she was saying; that he was not yet too far gone to listen to her words, and that he was gripping life tight in one fist. He had given Chase his word that he would remain with her. That he had no intentions of allowing himself to fizzle out, after having only just reunited with her. And because it was to Chase Moor that he had made this promise, it had become Calvin’s only goal to do just that.

She had no idea the effect that she had on him.

“I’m sorry, I can’t…” he apologized, in the hopes that Chase would interpret the statement in the way that he’d intended her to. With such desperation Calvin wished she would understand, that he had begun to plead with his eyes. I am so sorry. It hurts, Chase. I am trying to talk, but it hurts, his wide, twinkling orbs explained.

As Chase began to recall her fondest memories of the time they had spent with each other, Calvin was reminded once more of the figurative connection that he believed he and Chase shared. On many occasions in the past, Chase had provided Calvin with proof that their thoughts and emotions had been intertwined by their affection for one another. And while Calvin had never expressed this thought to Chase, he found himself smiling contently to himself when Chase recited his previous thoughts aloud once more.

“As long as you’re OK,” Calvin croaked in response to the many thanks that he had received. Every complement that Chase had lavished him with had rolled off of his shoulders, as though he believed that he did not deserve such affection. He had, after all, failed Chase. In Calvin’s mind he could have prevented Chase’s psychological torment. Had he gone after her when she had left her farewell letter behind, Calvin may very well have been able to find Chase before Barker had, and have taken her place. He firmly believed that he could have carried that burden for her. And for a moment his guilt was made visible upon his face.

He parted his lips once more, so to make an attempt to speak. “I’ll be fine. I love you. I wont leave you here. Please don’t worry.” His every word stung. Calvin offered Chase a comforting smile – or, at least, a smile that he had intended to appear that way, but had become a grimace as it had formed on his lips. “Everything will be better soon,” he promised her.

Chase knew something was wrong, very wrong, so she quickly leaned over and pressed the nurses button. "Calvin... it's okay... I called a nurse.. everything is gonna be just fine okay? We'll get you energized, and back to yourself in no time at all... I'm here for you love... I'm here for you.. I will always be here for you okay? I can't imagine life without you..." Chase gently pressed her lips against his forehead and stroked his hair, smiling at him and holding him tighter. "It'll be okay love.." She whispered again just as a nurse came in a bit frantically.

"It's not me this time..." Chase said looking up at the nurse, who looked seriously stunned at her transformation. "Calvin.. he tried to help me.. I passed out, he thought I was dying.. and.. and... he gave me to much life force.. please.. fix him up?" She gasped out the words, her voice still hoarse from not using it for so long. She whimpered slightly when the nurse came over and checked his pulse. "He needs some food... and a few potions.. and some sleep, Mind if he uses your bed? We're having some difficulties with bedrooms being available.." She said and slid out the room to get the required potions and food, while Chase slid out of the bed and helped him onto it, laying his head gently on the pillow, she smiled and stroked his hair. "It'll be okay Calvin, I promise."