Chapter Nine: Marriage Counselling

I don't own any of the characters. They all belong to Vizziepop and her team.

Nifty and Husker sat in their chairs not really talking as they waited for Charlie. This was pointless. Ever since their fight where Charlie accidentally got stabbed in the face she'd been making them attend what she considered marriage counselling. That was six months ago. They didn't need fucking marriage counselling. They had a fight; all couples fought. They were fine. Did Nifty clean too much? Fuck yes. Did Husker drink too much? Apparently his wife thought so. Suddenly the door burst open. "Let's go." Husker and Nifty looked at each other as Vaggie walked out the door not even caring if they were following. This was new; she never participated in this. They both got up and followed her up to the roof. The one time Nifty tried to talk, Vaggie told her to be quiet. She stood in the doorway of the entrance to the roof gesturing them both forward. "I've had enough of this bullshit. Is it true couples fight? Yes. The problem was the violence and it's disrespectful of you two to roll eyes and mock Charlie behind her back so I'm fucking taking over tonight."

"Okay…" Husker said. Vaggie walked away from them bringing out a bucket full of feathers, then she came back with two leather bound books. She went down paths in a garden. They'd never been to the roof. Neither of them knew there was a garden up there and they'd been working there for almost three years now. Nifty looked at her husband so confused. They watched as Vaggie cut their palms placing each palm on a different book. Then she shook the books over the feathers before dropping each book 100 feet away from each other, placing feathers on top of each book until the books were entirely covered.

"Nifty near lavender! Husk by the rose bush!" They followed the instructions. "The feathers are all the problems in your heads, relationship, with each other, whatever. You're going to pick them up and throw them at each other. With the goal to hit each other. First one at a time then build up to just throwing it back and forth. When you do so you can leave. No speaking." She sat down leaning the trunk of a willow tree. Nifty vaguely wondered who was coming up here to tend to this garden or if it needed it. Vaggie didn't address them farther, she just sat there watching them expectedly. They glanced back at each other, still confused. Husker was the first to pick up a feather and try. The three of them watched as it pitifully landed a few inches in front of him. Husk looked taken back though. Nifty frowned at the troubled look on his face. Nifty picked up a feather as it fell to the ground, the memory of her childhood house. Her father had always made sure even with her mother's abandonment their house was immaculate. She was treated like the most precious thing in the world and then suddenly when she was 13 Daddy left for the war. She was sent to live in a room with eight other girls who never picked after themselves. The work the house mother made them do. There was a girl who only got out of bed and showered once a month. It was horrible. When the feather hit the ground she was back in hell. It was only a few inches ahead of her but it all came back so quick.

Husk picked up his next feather and threw it. He was about in his late twenties when he left for the second world war. He'd thought he had seen things in America but nothing could prepare him for what he would see time and time again in the wars he'd been forced to go to. He saw the face of the young men he killed. The people being 'freed' but still so close to death. Everything he'd drink to forget coming back. Emily screaming and crying for him not to leave her, Evan holding onto his leg only. Never really seeing or talking to either of them again after that last time. He'd lost everyone he loved in life. The feathers kept hitting the ground. Each part of the couple reliving in either their own personal hells whether in actually in hell or life. They were not getting anywhere close to hitting each other. Husker looked over at Nifty instead of where his feathers were going. She was crying. This was bullshit all it was doing was tearing them apart.

"This isn't working, it's useless!" He shouted at Vaggie. Both the couple looked over at her. She wasn't even paying attention to them anymore. Watching a bird fly over the hotel with so much peace Nifty was envious. "VAGGIE!" Husker shouted frustrated with this whole ordeal. Her head snapped.

"What?!" She spat all the peace that she'd displayed a second ago was gone, replaced by her usual temperament.

"We're done with this." Nifty cried.

"Who hit who?" For a moment they looked confused, then they remembered the game they were supposed to be playing. "Right. So either fucking hit each other or finish your piles in silence."

"We're never gonna hit each other!"

"Would you rather throw knives again?" They stared at her helplessly. "Keep going." With that she looked back up and scoffed realizing the bird she'd been watching was gone. "I'm getting ice cream. Stay here and finish." With that she hopped up and left. Both decided fuck Vaggie and went to leave but each time they moved to They found themselves throwing the feathers again. Faster and faster. They just kept going hoping to end their torment. Finally they reached the end of their piles. "How do you feel? Worthless? Pathetic? Small? Helpless?" They turned seeing Vaggie standing eating some ice cream. "You two are are holding all your problems, traumas, and thoughts in yourselves and that's what it feels like. A lot of demons aren't so lucky to have supportive loving partners they can share things with. You guys are taking for granted what you have, keep it up and you'll end up being like Angel's clients. Cheating on each other and no communication. Throwing things at each other doesn't help the original problems, you'll still suffer alone. That's what the books are for: pick them up and read them." Nifty picked hers up first.

"I drink to forget so m…"

"Not aloud. This isn't my relationship. This is between you two. Sit side by side and read them." They sat down by each other reading each other's lives. The hardships, all explanations for the things they needed to work on. As they got the last page they found a card. Communication is important for everyone. Accepting help doesn't mean it's over or you're failing, just that you are determined to keep your love alive. Write things you need help with or are stressed about in your books they'll disappear and appear in the others. Your problems are for each other now. Good luck. I believe in you.

"I think we can do this."

"Me too. I'm sorry."

"Me too. I love you and I won't ever hate you for what you did."

"I love you too, and I won't ever abandon you."

"Let's go home." Nifty smiled. They are going to be okay. They were going to be better than okay.