Chris was in a dark void, cold and damp, her breath snow white before her.
"Where am I?"
Her voice echoed uncomfortably off the nothingness, and she looked around worriedly.
"Jamie? Don? Anybody?"
She was floating in dark nothingness, but an animalistic growl nearly made her jump.
"Who's there?!"
Panic reached her heart as fast as her blood, but she couldn't see anything. She saw a shadow flash by, just in her field of vision, and twirled around.
What she saw made her heart stop.
It was her, but her hair was blood red, both eyes crimson, with demonic claws and fangs, pupils narrowed to dangerous slits, and the kanji for 'Hell' on her forehead in black.
"No…"
'That could be me…'
She turned at a bright light, and saw herself, only her hair was pure black, both eyes a crystal blue, a glowing halo over her head, powerful snowy wings coming out of her shoulder blades. A bow and quiver of arrows showed her weapon, and the white kanji for 'Heaven' on her forehead showed who she was.
"Whoa…"
'That could be me, too…'
She saw a strange woman walk towards her, though Chris was still fascinated with these two versions of herself.
"Christine…"
Chris looked up, suddenly not minding that this strange woman used her full name.
"You must make a choice…any of these three choices could be you…"
The woman spoke softly, her voice like silk, her dark gold hair going down her back in gentle curls.
"Three choices?"
Chris looked around.
"Either stay as you are…or change forever…you can never go back…"
Chris tried to absorb it all, when the woman held out two double-bladed swords.
"The blades of a Demon Hunter…you'll need them…"
Chris looked at the weapons, surprised.
The handles were wrapped in red cloth, the blades coming out of either end polished to shine, curved, and designs carved in. They had kanji written on them, but she didn't understand what they meant.
"Take care…don't let the demons get you…"
"Demons?"
Chris looked up worriedly.
"What demons?"
"You've met him before…beware, young Demon Hunter…"
"WAIT!!"
The woman was fading away, and Chris was panicking.
"WAIT!! WHO ARE YOU?!"
"Chie…"
Chris nearly missed it, and then the woman was gone. She turned, seeing the two parts of herself turn to her menacingly.
'No…'
The demon version jumped first, and Chris closed her eyes.
A bloodcurdling scream ripped itself from her chest, bursting through the confines of her heart to escape her throat…
She woke up with a start, cold sweat dampening her skin as she breathed in gasps of air.
She heard a small meow, and saw Libby looking up at her sympathetically.
"Awww, sorry, baby…did I wake you, girl?"
Chris cuddled the cat like a baby, noticing for a moment that she seemed to be getting heavier. She hugged the cat to her chest, trying to take refuge from her strange dream, but…it just wasn't enough…she needed another warmth, but it was just too far off…
'Don…if I ever needed you, it's now…'
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Don woke with a start, not understanding what had initially woken him, when he realized he'd fallen asleep at his bench again.
He looked at all of the magazines April had gotten him, and sighed.
There was NOTHING in there that looked like Chris…nothing…maybe bits and pieces…
That's when the idea struck him.
He could make something himself!! It shouldn't be too hard!!
He was about to start when he stopped, feeling his heart tighten.
'What was that…?'
He stayed still, listening to silence, until he thought he heard a scream…
'CHRIS!!'
He raced out, glad for the cover of darkness, and ran as fast as he could to Chris's apartment, which really wasn't very far from the lair. He looked in her bedroom window cautiously, but found her sitting on her bed, hugging her gold cat and crying.
"Chris…"
He knocked on the window, watching worriedly as she looked up in surprise. She wiped away her tears before getting up and opening the window.
"H-Hey, Don…wh-what brings you here…?"
The stutter would've gone unnoticed by anyone else, but he KNEW something was wrong.
"Chris…why were you crying?"
She looked down, and an indignant meow from Libby told her to tell the truth.
"I-I had a nightmare…"
Don looked at her sympathetically, leading her back to the bed.
"It's okay…it was just a nightmare-."
He stopped when he saw the double-bladed swords gleam in the light coming in from a street lamp.
Chris's eyes widened.
"I-It wasn't a dream…sh-she gave me those…"
"Who?"
Don helped her sit down, and she climbed into his lap for comfort. She shakily explained everything that happened in her dream, not noticing the protective grip he was gaining.
When she finally finished, she looked up at him with watery eyes.
"D-Don…"
"Chris…I won't let that happen to you…I promise…"
She sighed in relief, snuggling against his chest.
'I'm so glad he's here…'
Don wrapped his arms around her, and she relished in the safe warmth.
He sighed, looking at her blinking alarm clock.
'4:56…'
He cradled her for a moment before he realized she'd fallen asleep.
He watched her peaceful face, the rise and fall of her chest as she breathed, enjoying the tingling warmth where her breath ghosted over his skin…
'What will she choose? I don't know…and I'm not exactly comfortable with her being a 'Demon Hunter'…but I know I can't stop her…so I'll just have to protect her…'
He fell asleep soon after, his grip never wavering…
