*WATCH ATTACK ON TITAN! IT'S A BADASS SHOW! I WANNA JOIN THE SURVEY CORPS AND KILL TITANS NOW!!!! YOU WON'T GET THAT UNTIL YOU WATCH IT! GO NOW BEFORE IT'S TOO LATE! THAT BE ALL.*

Chapter 40

It's been a couple of days. It's the weekend, which means I can spend most of my time at the mansion, watching over Jeff or working with Ben. But mostly I'll probably work on just getting sleep. I haven't had a good nights rest in weeks. My concern for Jeff is off the charts and I keep wondering if he'll die while I'm sleeping. I don't want to wake up one morning and find that he's gone forever. But I don't want to be there when he dies either, not that he will. There's no progress on his condition so that's bugging the hell out of me. I'm so desperate for something that I'll take any sign of the slightest change. Even if it's a bad change...

I was walking down the stairs and into the living room. Masky and Hoodie were playing cards while Jack played with Sally. I said good morning to them and they said it back to me. I walk into the kitchen and find Grinny in there. He was chowing down on a little breakfast. I walk up to him and give him a gentle scratch. He meows and gives me a happy little grin. I smile down at him and grab an apple to eat. I'm not that hungry this morning. I'm not even that hungry anymore at all. My appetite is going because of all the stress on my shoulders. I'll be lucky to pig out today.

I sat on the floor with Grinny and ate my apple while he ate his own food. Once he was done he climbed onto my shoulders and wrapped around the back of my neck like a scarf. I chuckled and get up to walk around some more. I walk out the front door and take a stroll through the woods. I make sure not to go too far or else Slendy will scold me. I bite into my apple and take off a piece for Grinny to have. It's cold out but the sun is still shining beautifully. I finished my apple and threw it to the ground so whatever kind of bugs could decompose it. Grinny and I made it to the field I trained in and laid in the tall grass. He purred as he was curled up next to my head. His tail patted my head gently and with a rhythm that made me long for sleep to come.

I fell asleep in the grass with Grinny by my side. As I was asleep I dreamt of Jeff. I dreamt of him finally waking up, hugging me and laughing with me. I dreamt of him reuniting with Smile and playing with him in the yard. I dreamt of him messing around with everyone here. I even dreamt of headlines saying "Killer On The Loose Once Again". And with every mind thought image my heart grew weaker and weaker with heartbreak, desperation, and fear. Fear of losing the only one I'll ever love.


Jeff's POV

"Good morning my Sunshine," I said to her as she opened her eyes. Ellie rubbed her eyes and yawned cutely. She stared at me for a few moments and then turned the other way to go back to sleep. I frowned and tried turning her back around but she wouldn't budge. I decided to try another tactic and get off the bed. I walked to the other end of the room and ran forward towards the bed. I jumped up and landed hard on Ellie's sleeping figure. She yelled at me and punched my stomach. I groaned and faceplanted onto my pillow.

At the last moment I pounced on Ellie and she yelped. I kissed her face and she acted as if the kisses were a deadly weapon. In a way they are. She smacked me upside the head and I stopped. I hugged her tightly and she hugged back. With a swift movement I cupped her face into my hands and kissed her soft pink lips. She hesitated at first but kissed back. I held the kiss for as long as I could before the both of us needed air. She gave me a smile that made me blush. "Wanna lay in bed all day?" I asked her innocently. She chuckled and shook her head. "I have training today," she said. I pouted and let her off the bed. Since we were in her room she got her clothes from her dresser and went to the bathroom to change.

"Wait where are you going," I called. She turned around and said, "I'm gonna go change."

"In there?" I asked and pointed to her bathroom. She nodded and I laughed. "Come on darling, don't be insecure. Just change in front of me. I am your boyfriend after all. What's to be embarrassed about?"

Her face turned red and she shook her head. I chuckled and got up. I walked up to her and said, "If it helps I'll change with you." Her face got even more red and she said, "Hell no that's even worse!"

"Come on you've already seen me without a shirt and even seen me without pants. This isn't gonna kill ya."

"Maybe it will," she said.

"Well would you look at that," I said, "I'm already taking my shirt off."

"What?!"

I barely had my shirt over my head when she slapped my stomach and I yelped. She gave me a smug look and walked to the restroom when I lunged forward and pulled down her shorts. She screamed and I started laughing. "Jeff I'm gonna kill you!" she growled.

"Hey that's my job," I said jokingly and snapped my fingers repeatedly. She started towards me and I ran out of the room. She chased me throughout the mansion and I was just laughing with glee. Not because of the thrill of the chase but because Ellie never put her shorts back on so she was basically running around in her underwear. It wasn't until everyone stared at her did she notice. She blushed madly while Ben, Masky, Hoodie and Jack stared. "I'm just gonna say this now," Ben said, "but-GOOD LAWD ALMIGHTY! HOT DAYUM!" She growled and started chasing everyone else expect for Slendy and Sally, who watched idly. I hid from her in one of the rooms and as I sat in silence I heard noises. Odd and irregular noises. The sounds of machines clicking and whirring softly.

I looked around the room to see if there was a source to it but there was nothing that could make those noises.

Click, click.....beep....click

It's so strange. I don't feel right. What's making those noises? Then, over the soft noises of machines I heard voices. Hushed voices discussing something. Discussing me.

How will we ever know if he'll wake up?

We'll have to hope he either wakes up....or worse....

Can you do anything? Something? This is my buddy we're talking about. My best friend.

I know this is hard for you and everyone else, especially Elizabeth, but I cannot dabble with life and death situations. I can't wake him up, no matter how strong my powers are.

Isn't there another way?

The only thing we can do is to have patience. Hopefully....you have enough of that...

They stopped talking and I heard the sound of footsteps waking away. I frowned. What was that all about? I recognize those voices. They were taking about me. And they mentioned Ellie. What's wrong?

Just as I was about to think about that conversation, the door slammed open and in stepped an angry Ellie. I laughed nervously and said, "Heh heh hey babe."

"Run motherfucker," she growled and I bolted for it. I don't know what that discussion was about but right now I could care less because the woman I love is about to murder me. Better love story than twilight.


Elizabeth's POV

I woke up to the feel of a dog licking my face. I giggle at the feel and open my eyes. I saw Smile, a joyful light in his eyes. I smile and sit up. He looks over at Grinny, who woke up as well, and growls. The cat hisses and licks his paw. Smile huffs and turns back to me. At least they didn't fight. back then, one small glance at each other and they'd go ballistic. Now they're a little more calm around each other, only growling or snorting at one another in disgust. I get up and give Smile a loving pat on the head. He licks my hand and I giggle at the rough feel of his doggy tongue.

"Someone's finally awake from their outdoor nap," someone said.

I look up and see Ben, smirking. I smile and say, "How long have I been out?"

"Long enough," he said, and the smirk went away slowly, "I got full info on your grandmother."

My eyes widened and my heart pounded with anticipation. "Can I check it out?" I asked. He nodded and said, "We'll discuss it on the way back to the mansion. Come, boy." He called for Smile. He trotted over and stood obediently next to Ben. I picked up Grinny and put him on my shoulder like before. We started walking and Ben spoke to me. "So what I did was hack into the database system and did a background check on your granny. A bunch of names came out so I had to narrow it down. First I searched up Maribel Umbers in their fifties or so. The number went down but it wasn't enough. So I searched for one with a missing persons report. The percentage went down a little more but it still wasn't enough. So then I decided to do a criminal background check, thinking that maybe she left because she was on the run. Then....I finally found her."

"The right one?" I asked to be sure. He nodded and said, "Yes. She looks a little like you too so I immediately knew it was her. Although...for a sweet looking old lady...she sure has a hell of a criminal record."

I furrowed my brow in confusion and asked, "What did she do?"

Ben chuckled a little and said, "Well she is wanted in at least twenty-two different states for credit card scam, identity theft, grand theft auto and supposedly has a case of the crazies from her mental hospital reports. I gotta say...your grandma be fucked up."

I stared at him in shock. My grandma...is a criminal? Holy crap. What could have made her do all of that? Why did she run away in the first place? "You said mental hospital reports," I started, "do you know which hospital she was in?"

He nodded and said, "She was put in Harville Mental Institution. Not too far from this town. You could probably drive there if you wanted to. Although her file says she escaped from that place years ago, but I'm sure you'll find more information." I nodded and thanked him for helping. Harville Mental Institution is just uptown where most of the town's business buildings are placed. It's pretty hectic up there but I could manage a drive through the place. But I need someone to come along with me. Someone who I can trust to come with me out there. And I have a perfect idea on who I'll take.

...

"Okay, first you take me to the park, then you take me to get smoothies, now you're taking me to the arcade. What's the deal short stack," Ian asked me, crossing his arms and frowning down at me, taking an awkward quick sip of his berry smoothie.

I chuckled and said, "All right. Look, I need to ask you to do me a favor. It's really important."

His gaze softened and he asked, "And what might be this favor?"

I sighed, cleared my throat and said, "I found my missing grandmother, who used to be the proxy before me, and I found a lead on where she could be staying. I need you to come with me. I can't take Addie or Johanna and I can't take one of the others with me, so you're all I've got right now. Will you please do this with me?"

He pressed his lips together and looked down. He took in a deep breath and groaned, "Fine."

"Thank you!"

"But," he added, "when we're done, I want you to do me a favor in return."

"W-What kind of favor...?" I asked cautiously. He gave me a defiant look and said, "I want you...to build me a giant snow fort once the snow comes in....and add cannons....and bring me wenches-!!!"

"Okay okay, I'll do my best sire," I said sarcastically. He smiled and sipped his smoothie. I turned away and felt the rush of being one step closer to accomplishment. Ian will be coming with me to Harville Mental Institution to look up my grandma's files. All I need now is for life at school to get easier, for my proxy abilities to strengthen more and for Jeff to wake up from his coma. I especially need that. If he doesn't wake up or he dies then who do I have to protect me when I can't even protect myself. When I finally go up against Zalgo, although hopefully that never happens, he'll be the first thing to think about, to motivate me to win. And once this is all over I'll come running back to him with weary eyes and a relieved smile on my face. Someday it'll be over. Someday he'll wake up. And then I'll know...that the little fantasy I made up just now, from my imagination...might just become reality. Someday...

*WHAT COULD EVER BE HAPPENING TO JEFF??? MY MY YOU'LL HAVE TO WAIT!!! MUAH HA HA HA!!!! -cough cough- UM ANYWAYS......HAVE A SPLENDOROUS DAY AND REMEMBER...STAY CREEPY MY FRIENDS.*