Author's Note: For once, this chapter is almost all my idea. ;D With help from, of course, the oh-so-lovely whisperinginthewind :D


Review response time!

whisperinginthewind: You reviewed! (insert one of our fail hearts here) I love you so much for helping me out with this story. You have no idea. (: And YAY! I'm so glad that you liked that part(: Hyde is such a perfect character that I'm always scared I'll go OOC and ruin him..!

shippolove844: I'm happy they kissed, too! :D

TL22: I rather liked that part as well, haha:D And he'll be back shortly!


"Never again," Hyde repeated after Chris, a small trace of a smile on his face. She let out a wide grin and pressed her lips to his. She was so happy she had him, and she would do everything in her power to make sure she never lost him again.

Their kiss was cut off short when the first search party to come back, Fez and Kelso, walked in. Fez stared at the two for a moment before demanding, "What the hell? We have searched for hours, and you have been in the kitchen the whole time!"

Hyde pulled away from Chris's kiss and leaned back in his chair, putting his guard back up within a second. He looked down at his watch and cocked an eyebrow at the foreigner as he informed him, "Fez, it's only been forty-five minutes."

Kelso walked over to the table where the couple sat and held out his arms. He smiled his typical goofy grin and exclaimed, "C'mere!"

Chris let out a laugh and got to her feet. She almost tripped over Kelso's shoes as she walked over to him and welcomed his embrace. He squeezed her tightly to his chest, and she groaned, "Kelso…"

Hyde felt his insides churn at how close together Chris and Kelso were. He snapped his gaze down from how tightly they were pressed together and glared at Kelso's hands, which were gradually making their way down her back. "Hands off, dillhole," Hyde growled, glad for a reason to break up the hug. Under the threat of an incoming punch, Kelso immediately shoved Chris away from his body. She stumbled, but Hyde leaped to his feet and caught her arm before she could fall. Chris smiled at him thankfully, but Kelso burst out laughing.

"Wow, Hyde! You really, uh, seem to care about her!" Kelso spoke up, a wide grin spreading across his face as a laugh escaped his throat.

When Fez joined the laughter, Hyde released Chris's arm like it was piping hot. He glared at his friends and responded angrily, "I don't care about anyone!" Chris cocked an eyebrow at Hyde's denial of feelings and a small smile escaped her lips. What he'd just said completely contradicted absolutely everything he had ever told her (in private). Hyde's eyes shifted over to her, and he scowled at her when he saw her bemused smirk. His eyes shot back to the guys as he added, "And anyone who says different is going to get their ass kicked."

Chris pouted when he said that, mocking his threat. Fez noticed her changed facial expression and, taking it as genuine, said, "If you want a shoulder to cry on… I have two."

Kelso rolled his eyes and scoffed, "Come on Fez. Don't be dumb. You know that I'm her first choice."

"Get bent," Chris retorted in a fashion much like Hyde's. The corner of his lip twitched upwards when he noted that fact. She looked at his face and added, "There's no chance in hell I'd ever do anything with any of you guys."

Hyde looked at her and cocked an eyebrow, silently asking if she meant it. She crossed her arms over her chest and imitated his facial expression. Kelso looked between the two and laughed. "Kids," he scoffed, then made his way out of the kitchen and to the basement. Fez quickly followed behind, leaving the young couple alone.

"So," Hyde said conversationally, "I hear I'm not getting any?"

"So," Chris mocked him conversationally, "I hear you don't care about me?"

Hyde looked at her and barely refrained from letting out a sigh, knowing that she was upset about what he said. He shrugged at her indifferently and responded, "I don't know where you might've heard that from."

"Maybe the ass standing in front of me," she retorted with a bitter undertone. Her ploy to act hurt was ruined by the smile forming on her face. Sure, she was upset, but she didn't want to overreact and ruin their relationship already.

He shook his head incredulously before setting his gaze on his girlfriend's face. He looked at her calmly and informed her, "Come on. I can't ruin my image."

Chris's small smile turned to a full-out grin as she laughed at his response. She couldn't help it. She rolled her eyes at him and agreed sarcastically, "Yeah. Wouldn't want to do that, now, would we?"

"Of course not." He smiled at her and leaned in for another kiss when Donna and Jackie walked in.

Jackie and Donna stood at the door to the kitchen and watched them kiss for a few seconds. When the couple broke apart they were all smiles, which was when Jackie decided to speak up and ruin their moment. "Oh, great. The whore's back."

Chris barely skipped a beat before saying, "Jackie, it's really annoying how you always announce your own presence. You should try shutting your mouth for once." Jackie gaped at the girl who had rarely fought back while Donna laughed at Jackie's expression. Hyde was looking at Chris with admiration that he'd never felt towards her before. Chris turned back to him and grinned at the look on his face. "You've taught me well."

He pressed his mouth to hers again, expressing his pride with his lips. Just as he did, Kitty and Red walked in. Hyde looked up and demanded, "Does everybody always have to walk in the second we kiss?"

"Oh my god, Chris, you're alright!" Kitty ran over and wrapped Chris in a tight embrace, removing her from Hyde's. Chris laughed and hugged the small woman, happy to see her. She's missed them.

"You had us worried sick! What the hell were you thinking?" Red demanded of Chris. He glared at her, but she merely laughed and threw her arms around his middle.

"I missed you, too," she informed him, her grin widening.

He began trying to stumble through a response, but he wound up just hugging her back. He rubbed her back and pulled away, looking into her eyes as he commanded, "Don't scare us like that again. You had us worried as hell, especially being as—" Red caught Hyde's 'shut the fuck up' look and clamped his mouth shut.

"Especially being as what?" she asked skeptically, frowning at him. She whirled around to face Hyde and demanded, "What are you guys keeping from me?"

Kitty looked at Chris and said, "Um, honey… I don't know how to tell you this, but… Paul got out." She stared at the girl's shocked expression and let out one of her nervous laughs.

Chris stood frozen in place, unsure of how to react to the news. Jackie stared at her and crossed her arms over her chest, unimpressed by the news. Donna, however, walked over and put her arms around Chris. "I'm so sorry," she said.

Chris shook her head, unable to wrap her head around this unexpected turn of events. She looked around and felt her eyes fill with tears as a replay of every time he'd ever hit her flashed before her eyes. She turned around wrapped her arms around Donna, burying her face in her shoulder and letingt out a choked sob.

Donna held Chris as Kitty joined onto them, making it into a group hug. Hyde watched Chris dissolve into tears and frowned. He eyed the way she was clinging to Donna and Kitty and felt a small pang of jealousy. He kind of almost wanted it to be him she was crying on. He waved that thought away and instead focused on what he was going to do to keep Chris from getting hurt.

Well, he could go out and find Domino. But that would result in his getting killed and the psychopath getting pissed and hunting down Chris faster. So no, that wouldn't work.

He could never leave her side. That way, Domino would have to go through him first, which would leave Chris with extra time to get away. But if Domino took a while getting to them, Chris might get sick of his clinginess and get rid of him.

Hyde could think of no other solutions, so he decided that he would have to go with the second one. The moment after he'd made up his mind he heard Chris mumble into Donna's shoulder, "I'm moving out."

He stared at her incredulously and demanded calmly, "What did you just say?"

Chris wiped her eyes and looked at him with a blank expression on her face— she obviously hadn't meant to say it aloud. She blinked a few times as she cleared her mind before croaking a little louder, "I'm moving out of the Pinciottis'." Everybody opened their mouths to object, but before anyone could get a word in Chris went on, "I can't make you guys go through this with me. I mean, I know I'll still have your support and you guys will help me through this, but if Domino ever does wind up coming for me… I don't want him to hurt any of you guys, too."

"Chris, that's fucking ridiculous," Hyde informed her angrily, his fists clenching at his sides as anger boiled within him. She glared at him, and he shut his mouth. He didn't want to make a complete ass of himself in front of everybody.

Kitty caught his facial expression and knew that he would want to talk to Chris by himself. She grabbed Red's arm and began pulling him into the living room. "Let's leave the kids alone," she told him.

Donna shot an angry look at Chris and informed her, "We are not done talking about this, Christina." Chris winced at the use of her full name, and Donna and Jackie made their way into the basement.

Chris let out a sigh and wiped away her tears, determined to stop their flow. She took a seat at the kitchen and prompted him, "Go on. Let it out."

"It's not safe," he said simply, crossing his arms over his chest and leaning back against the counter.

"It's safer for Donna. Safer for Bob. And Eric and Red and Kitty," she argued. When his only response was to scowl, she frowned at him and added, "Okay, listen. Would you rather lose me, or lose me and your best friend and your family?"

He walked over to the kitchen table and sat next to her. He stared at her face, examining it as if for the last time. His face hardened as he told her gravely, "It doesn't matter what I would rather, because I'm not losing any of you."

She sighed and slid out of her seat and onto his lap. She put her arms around his neck and said, "See, this is how I like you. Bullet-free. Safe. Please don't make me worry during my—"

"If you say 'last days', Chris, I swear to God, I will kill you," he threatened. He once again scanned her face before asking, "Are you really set on this whole moving thing?"

"Are you really set on not losing me?" she countered, poking his chest with her finger.

"Yeah," he said slowly, looking down at the floor as he considered what he was going to say next. He thought it through for a few moments before looking back up at her face and adding, "Which is why I'm going to stay with you."


A/N: So folks, there ya have it. Chapter twenty-eight is… complete! There will probably be about three to five chapters after this one. We're getting closer to the end, chillunz! :D

Lemme know what you think in a review? :D