Disclaimer: I do not own Chrno Crusade or any of the Chrno Crusade characters.
A/N: Sorry this took so long. I started a new job and had a really crazy schedule for a couple of weeks, then I got sick, and my computer is still not working properly. This is the last chapter that is all the same day. It's really just kind of a filler chapter but I thought it was kind of fun.
A Promise to Keep
Ch. 7- Restless
Chrono toured the apartment after Ewan left. There were so many objects that were completely foreign to him. He was almost afraid to touch anything, not knowing what would happen if he did. He finally decided to just sit down on the sofa and take everything in. He began to notice that a lot of the unfamiliar objects were roughly box-shaped. There was one on the desk off to the side of the room, a small one on the wall, and three (of varying sizes) in a cabinet across the room from him. All of these objects had buttons, or lights, or numbers, or some combination of the three on them.
As he sat there, pondering the advancements in technology over the last seventy-eight years, Chrono found himself wishing he were in need of a rest. He had to admit to himself that he was becoming very uncomfortable with his current situation. He stood up and walked to the large box across from him, planning to give it a closer inspection.
"That's a television," spoke a familiar voice from behind him as he bent over the device to see the back, "You've never seen one before, have you?"
Rather that answer her question, Chrono asked one of his own, "What are you doing up? Ewan told you to rest."
Rosette shrugged as Chrono turned around to face her, "I couldn't sleep. I'm tired but I'm not sleepy and just laying still has never been something I was very good at. So, I waited until I was sure, from the sound of things, that Ewan was gone and I came back out."
"Are you sure?" asked Chrono, "You did go through a lot today."
"That? That was just really good training."
Chrono gave the girl a quizzical glance, "Training? What do you mean?"
"I'm taking the exam to joing the militia. I was hoping to sign up and take it today but then Ewan showed up and brought me back here."
"Are you sorry he did?" Chrono wondered aloud.
"Sorry he gave me the chance to see you?!" questioned Rosette, "Are you kidding me?! I can still sign up for the exam another time. I've been wanting to see you for a long time. As long as I can remember, really, because I've always known that you existed.
"Well, I'm here now."
"And about that, there's something I want to ask you," Rosette began, then waited for his sign of encouragement to continue, "What was it like? Being brought back, I mean."
The question did not come as a complete surprise to Chrono but he still took a moment to think over his answer, "Physically, I didn't really feel much at all. It was similar to when I died. I felt tired but I wasn't really in any pain. It was kind of like being pulled backwards through a dark tunnel, you feel the movement even though you can't see that you are moving. Emotionally, it was one of the most painful things I've ever experienced. You know that I told Rosette Christopher that I never intended to live beyond the day she died. When I first ceam back, I didn't know you were here. For several reasons, I did not want to exist in a world without Rosette. I was essentially being forced to return to a life I didn't want to live. At first, I couldn't feel anything except guilt and despair."
Rosette's eyes softened as she listened to his speech and now she moved closer to him. For a moment, Chrono thought she was going to comfort him, then he remembered exactly who she was and ducked just in time to avoid being smacked in the back of the head.
"What was that for?" he shouted.
"That," answered Rosette, "Was for being an idiot. If you're given a second chance at life you should always see it as a gift. When I was Rosette Christopher, because I'm sure now that I was, I never regretted making the contract. So, you shouldn't feel guilty about that. I wanted to help you survive as much as you wanted to help me survive. So, even if I wasn't here now as Rosette Remington, wherever I was, I would have been happy to know that you were given a second chance."
When Chrono spoke again, his voice was just above a whisper, "You would have been in heaven, if you hadn't been reborn. In fact, you probably were there for about sixty years."
"Why do you say that?"
"Because you weren't where I was," Chrono's simple statement sent Rosette into a shocked silence.
The silence stretched on for several long, uncomfortable seconds before Rosette actually did wrap her arms around Chrono's neck in a comforting embrace. When she pulled away again, Chrono smiled at her to let her know that he was okay now then he quickly changed the subject, "So, what exactly does a television do?"
The question surprised a laugh out of Rosette, "Well, do you remember moving pictures? A television, or TV, is like a small version of that except you get to choose from many movies or TV shows, which are like short movies with ongoing stories, usually once a week."
Chrono nodded, taking in the information and Rosette pointed to one of the smaller box-shaped devices below the television, "If there is nothing good on TV, you can hook it up to the DVD player, or some people still use VCRs, and play a movie on a disc like that one there, or a video casette."
"How does it work"
"I can show you," Rosette replied, "Do you wanna actually watch one?"
"Do you?" Chrono asked but with a eager gleam in his eye that told Rosette he wanted to.
Rosette gave a one-shouldered shrug, "Sure. Why not? I can't seem to fall asleep and I don't really have anything better to do. I left school before I could be assigned any homework today. Do you wanna pull the sofa out first. That way, if you get tired you can just fall asleep. Also, I think it's more comfortable that way."
Chrono gave her a bewildered look in response, causing Rosette to laugh again. She pulled out the sofa bed then ran to get blankets and pillows. When she returned, she and Chrono looked through the movie collection before settling on the original Star Wars movie (A/N: I don't own Star Wars either). Rosette put the movie in and hopped onto the sofa bed, patting the spot next to her until Chrono sat down.
As the movie played on, Chrono became more captivated. Rosette was torn between being amused at his childlike wonder and being annoyed that he was too absorbed in the movie to even notice her. In the end she, for once, let amusement win out and even put the second movie in for him.
When this movie came to an end, Chrono asked, "Is there another one? Can we watch it, too?"
There was no answer. Chrono turned to the girl next to him for the first time since the movie started. Rosette was laying on her side, facing him, with her eyes closed. She had finally managed to fall asleep. Chrono felt the corners of his mouth turn up in a soft smile as he leaned over to pull the blankets up over her. He then leaned back to lay down on his side of the bed. He closed his eyes and, even knowing that his dreams would likely take the form of nightmares, he let the gentle sounds of Rosette's breathing lull him off to sleep.
