((I know what you're thinking. But NO I am NOT dead. I'm hoping to start regularly updating this again. (Really I dunno that I ever regularly updated but you get the point lol) Thank you for your support and I love you all.))
Dennis honestly wasn't sure just how much more he could take. His mother had become almost completely intolerable barking orders left and right worse than Aunt Eunice did. The flight and ride back to the hotel was terrible and she'd instantly wanted to leave again, though that was put on hold the second Allison threw up. The constant flying had done her in and she was more sick than she'd been in a very long while. Mavis had to slow down and take care of her.
Poor Allison was miserable, she had a fever, the chills, her entire little body was aching, and she couldn't keep anything down. Dennis obviously felt bad for his sister, but some small part of him was glad it happened. Not because she was sick, or anything, but just because it meant they had a chance to breathe. And he got more time with Winnie. Or...he would. If he wasn't tending to her while Winnie helped her family try to clean and repair the hotel for the reopening.
Mavis still wasn't fully convinced about it, but was allowing the restoration to take place if only to appease them all. She didn't really want to stay here, she wanted to go back to Santa Cruz and insisted repeatedly in the days they'd been back at the hotel that she was only so insistent to find Drac because she'd promised Dennis. She wasn't fooling anyone. Dennis knew that she just felt terrible that he'd closed the hotel because she'd left. She was just trying to make herself feel better again, like it wasn't all her fault.
It was late morning, and Dennis had just managed to help Allison fall asleep. He eyed her as he backed out of the room they'd set up for her and slowly closed it. He sighed as he leaned against the wall next to it and rubbed his eyes yawning.
"Tired?" a voice asked close to his ear and he jumped turning around to be face to face with Winnie, who was grinning, her sharp teeth glinting in the muted light. He relaxed immediately a grin finding his own lips.
"A bit," he admitted. "I've been taking care of Allison."
"How's she doing? Willa's very worried."
"She's getting better. She'll be fine in a day or two I think. Why hasn't Willa come to see her, Ally's been asking for her."
"She says she doesn't want to bother her or distract her."
Dennis laughed. "She needs a bit of distracting. She may be sick but she's not used to laying in bed constantly. She's going insane."
Winnie laughed as well. The sound was warm and smooth and sounded like music to Dennis's ears. "Well I'll let her know."
"How goes restoration?" He asked. "Is Mom being intolerable for you too?"
"Oh definitely. She wants everything to go back to exactly how it was before. It's like she's thinking the hotel being pristine will make Uncle Drac want to stay after you guys...go back home." Her smile twisted off just slightly and the pause just seemed so sad that it made Dennis's heart ache. He reached a hand out automatically and caressed her cheek.
"Hey," he said softly waiting until her blue eyes met his. "Even if we do go home...It's not going to be another thirteen years before we talk again." He let a small smile touch his lips as he stared into her eyes. "You won't get rid of me that easily." He brushed his thumb across her cheek and she leaned into his touch her eyes sliding closed for a minute before they opened again.
"Dennis," She said softly taking a step closer to him and suddenly it was warm and his heart was picking up speed.
"What?" He asked his voice just as soft as hers but she didn't seem to have anything to follow it up with. She was leaning closer to him and he was leaning in as well. His eyes seemed locked on hers and more sharply than ever he was remembering that flash of purple he'd seen in them as a baby. They were inches away...centimeters, his eyes were closing and so were hers he could feel her breath on his lips and...
"DENNY!"
Allison's voice shattered the moment and they both jumped apart as though they'd been caught doing something wrong. As soon as it registered Dennis felt anger and frustration flare through him at his sister. He looked at Winnie who he could tell was blushing under her fur and she swallowed.
"Um, I guess you should see what your sister wants?" She said her voice rough before she cleared it with a cough.
"Y..Yeah I guess," He agreed. He hesitated for a minute more but sighed. "Goodnight Winnie." Opening the door again he slid back in just to hear "Goodnight my Zing," very quietly from her as the door shut behind him again.
