"It's not unusual," Vivika said, she and Viktor sat across from a clearly frazzled Dracula while Christina was in the hall.
"But she's turned suicidal!" Dracula was raking his hands down his face, tiredly he looked to the doctors for help.
"Give us a few hours to evaluate her," Viktor replied soothingly, "Then we'll know the best course of action"
Dracula stood from the chair with a steadying breath slowly he walked back to the closed office door. His hand shaking, he turned the handle.
"Christina?"
Christina was hunched in the waiting room chair, hidden behind her larger wings.
"Christina?" he tried again, walking to where she sat tapping her wings.
"DON'T TOUCH ME!" her tear-stained face emerged,
"The doctors vant to see you now,"
"Fine" Christina followed back into the office, staring at her feet the entire time
Dracula held his breath until the heavy door shut behind her.
…...
"Do you like, have to go?" Shaggy grabbed Christina's wrist, "You could like, stay the night, we could watch a movie..."
"Sorry Sweetie," she kissed him. "But I've stayed the night three times this week, I don't think your parents will-"
"My parents love you!" he pulled her onto his lap, "You know that"
"Yes, I know," she giggled, "But I have to get home eventually"
"One more kiss?"
"Okay, just one"
…...
"Shaggy?"
He jumped, banging his head on the ceiling before falling in a heap on the floor. Peeling his face from the carpet he saw Sugie standing in the bedroom doorway.
"What, Sugie?" Shaggy sat up.
"Are you okay?"
"I'm fine I'm just worried about Christina,"
"How's she doing?"
"I'm like, not sure, Draculaura said she was going to the doctor today"
"Why don't you text her and ask if she wants to talk?"
"Later when she gets home, maybe"
"It never hurts to reach out"
"You're right"
…...
Christina dragged herself inside, a bottle of mood-stabilizing medicine in her hand, jade bounded over, giving a hug in greeting before licking her,
"Hi, Jade"
"Dinner's vaiting," Vana declared stepping into the foyer, greeting Dracula with a kiss before offering Christina a hug.
As expected, Christina bypassed it, hooking her wings over her shoulders the silent hybrid slunk to the dining room finding Draculaura, Sibella, and, Maleficent seated at the table.
"Hi, Christina!" Draculaura cheerily greeted.
"Hi," Christina slumped into her seat.
I vant you to start eating with us again, Dracula had said on the car ride home. Sitting in the dining room, in her middle seat at the long table with the fireplace casting shadows in the light of the setting sun she would rather be anywhere else. Especially with Maleficent across from her. Vana and Dracula arrived shortly after her taking their places at the head of the table just as the hunch bunch brought out the first dinner course.
I just have to make it through this and then I can go back to my room. Christina tried to encourage herself while picking at the food on the plate in front of her.
It wasn't that easy, however, Dracula kept asking for her input on the thanksgiving menu and no amount of "It's fine" or "That sounds good" was enough to satisfy him.
"Christina's had a long day," Maleficent finally spoke up, "Perhaps you should let her think it over for a few days"
"Excellent idea," Vana smiled, "Don't you think so, Christina?"
"Yes," Christina nodded, without looking at the adults.
After finishing her dessert Christina bolted to her room, shutting the door with a slam. Shoulders heaving she crumpled to the floor, unwilling to move any farther. she might have stayed there if her phone hadn't become to chime incessantly. Getting to her feet, Christina wrenched the device from her pocket prepared to tell someone off only to pause seeing it was Shaggy.
She answered the call hesitantly, "Hello?"
"Hi, Christina," Shaggy greeted, "I thought you like, might need a friend"
"Hi Shaggy, how was school?" Christina asked, reclining on her bed with a tired frown.
"Long, same old, same old, how was your day?"
"Tedious"
"I can hear you're tired"
"I'm always tired now"
"I'm sorry"
"It's not your fault"
"Are you like, doing anything tomorrow?"
"Not that I know of," Christina said slowly, turning onto her side, "But, I don't want to leave my room"
"Not even to see a movie with our friends?"
"No, Shaggy, I want to stay here"
"I like, know you're not supposed to invite yourself over but-"
"Yes, Shaggy, you can visit if you want to"
"Really, you're sure?" the hope in his voice was almost enough to tug a smile onto her face.
"Yes, I'm sure, maybe we can watch a movie here"
"That sounds great!" Shaggy was audibly excited, "Text you tomorrow?"
"Sure"
"Okay, I'll like, let you get some sleep, Good night, Christina"
"Good night, Shaggy"
…...
"You've missed EVERYTHING, all of her firsts, the birthdays, the holidays, EVERYTHING because you refuse to sign a piece of paper!"
"Her freedom is vorth it, Regina," Radu snapped, glaring at the vampiress on the other side of the bars.
"You still owe me, my former love," Regina responded icily, "The debt vill not be settled until Drew has Christina's hand in marriage"
"There is no debt," Alissa spoke up, her voice hard as stone, "Only your imagined slights"
Regina grit her teeth, grinding her fangs she turned from the cell door waving her hand. "Ah but you haven't seen her recently have you?"
Christina-or rather a phantom that depicted her whereabouts-was before them. Half hidden behind her new wings, she frowned staring at somewhere above her. So tired, so dull.
"She needs you now more than ever," Regina edged closer to the cell door, contract in hand, "You just need to sign"
"Ve'll never!" Radu strained his binds.
Alissa barely suppressed her scream, the iron binds cutting into her skin, the scars were already so deep in places, her flesh almost numb, "You'll regret this, Regina!"
"I think I'll leave you to think it over," Regina headed for the heavy wooden door only to pause, "Christina would give anything to get you back"
Cackling, she slammed the door after her.
"Radu," Alissa fell against the wall, "We can't let her-"
"Christina's so much smarter than that, Alissa," Radu swore, taking his wife's hand, "You know that"
"She's been through so much," tears filled Alissa's eyes, "We need to be there, we need to help her"
"And ve vill!"
"If I can reach Mother"
…...
The day before Thanksgiving Christina sat in the kitchen watching the chefs bustle about. Normally, she would've been working alongside the staff, happily lending a hand but her new medications made her so tired that she didn't trust herself with a knife let alone at the stove. So she sat at the island instead, head propped on her hand, watching the biscuits rise in the oven.
Because the staff was in and out of the kitchen, she didn't bat an eye when the doors swung open.
"Christina"
"What?" the hybrid didn't bother to turn. The horned shadow cast by the dark fae behind her was hard enough to look at.
"Can we talk?" Maleficent touched her shoulder.
"I guess," she was too tired to be angry.
"Let's go somewhere quieter"
Christina begrudgingly followed the elder fae into the empty, sun-splashed parlor sinking into one of the high-backed leather chairs, gripping the armrests tightly. Maleficent sat across from her, ramrod straight robes spilling into black pools on the floor.
"I'm sorry I scared you so badly," Maleficent began softly, "It was never my intention"
"You've told me that already"
"I know but I feel it's best I apologize again. You're angry, confused, trying to heal, I know I can never understand what that's like but Christina, please I beg of you, please let me back in, let's try to rebuild what we've lost, I miss you"
"I-I don't know how...how to let people back in," Christina's shoulders slumped, hands relaxing, eyes drifting to the floor, "I don't think I can" she whispered.
"I believe you can, it just takes time and a little work," the dark fae patted the empty space beside her.
Slowly, hesitantly, Christina accepted the invitation, sitting next to Maleficent.
"Where...What..." the question died on her tongue.
"Where do you start?"
Christina nodded, feeling incredibly stupid.
"Talking is always a good place to begin"
"I don't know what to talk about"
she'd done so little talking since she'd been home, always deep in her head.
"Would you like to hear about your mother?"
"Yes, please!"
"Alright, when Alissa was very little..."
…...
Christina lay awake very early the next morning, the sun was just rising over the horizon. The doors of her balcony were frosted but her room was pleasantly warm.
Everyone's going to be here today. Christina thought with fear, Shaggy's going to be here.
Rolling onto her side, she spotted Jade sleeping beside the bed. Not wanting to disturb the wolf, she slid off the other side of the bed and headed to the shower.
What am I going to do? What am I going to say? How can I face them?
These questions kept tumbling through her mind, no steaming water or strawberry-scented shampoo could wash them away. After her shower, Christina dressed warmly in a purple sweater and black sweats, pulling on her favorite fuzzy Grinch socks before relighting the fireplace and dropping onto the rug.
Jade ambled over, dropping into Christina's lap.
"It's going to be a long day, my friend"
…...
"Alissa please," Radu begged, "You've tried all night, please stop, you're hurting yourself,"
"No, no, I'm not, ugh, going to stop," Alissa declared, "We need to contact Mother, as soon as Christina leaves the castle grounds Regina will send her slime ball son to try something or 'bargain' for our release, we can't let her do that!"
"But Christina's never on her own-"
"I. Am. Not. Risking. It!"
…...
Christina cautiously peered around the corner into the living room where her family was gathered. From where she stood she could see Draculaura and Sibella chatting on one of the couches, Amora sat across from them. Maleficent sat closest to the blazing fireplace while Dracula and Vana stood in the farthest corner talking quietly with Elvira. No doubt they were all waiting to see her, there hadn't been a family gathering like this since they were all little.
At least, that she could recall.
Feet frozen to the hall floor she watched, unwilling, unable to join them.
Clawdeen arrived with Duncan each laughing as they entered the room.
I can't I can't.
Christina turned to sneak back upstairs.
"Like, where's Christy?"
Shaggy had arrived.
"She hasn't come down yet"
"Vhy don't you go check on her?"
Christina scantly had time to sit at the foot of the stairs.
"I knew you were around the corner," Shaggy smiled sitting beside her.
"I can't go in there," she whispered, hands shaking violently.
"You're going to be okay," he grabbed her hands, "Just like, one step at a time, do you want to try?"
"Okay"
Shaggy pulled Christina to her feet, still holding her hand he led her to the doorway.
"It's okay, like, it will all be okay," he promised when she froze.
Two steps later they were in the living room.
"Hey, Christina," Amora greeted with a grin.
"It's good to see you, Sparkles," Elvira added.
"Hi," Christina weakly offered.
She quickly shuffled to the empty couch, mindful of the eyes on her.
They're staring, Christina bit the inside of her cheek, Why do they all have to stare at me?
…...
She's going to completely freeze up. This thought at the forefront of his mind, Shaggy took the seat next to Christina.
It was taking so long to rebuild their relationship, longer than he would've liked but he would never rush Christina. They were getting somewhere, after all, he'd been over for movie nights. Though they sat on opposite ends of the couch, with their own private bowls of popcorn, his covered with nacho cheese flavoring, hers coated with marshmallows, it was progress. Good progress. Now, sitting next to her, he grabbed her hands again, holding them loosely enough that Christina could pull away if she felt like it. The conversations picked back up, swirling around them before fading into the background.
"Did you like, watch the parade this morning?"
"Some of it," Christina viably relaxed, "The Bloodway previews, mostly"
"Good?"
"Yes"
"What movie do you want to watch next week?"
"I thought it was your turn to pick?"
"I like it better when you pick"
"So if I wanted to watch Rudolph?"
"We'll watch Rudolph"
"Maybe...maybe we can watch two movies?" Christina offered quietly, "Rudolph is half an hour-ish"
"Yeah, we can like, do that and I'll bring the little Christmas tree cakes"
"I love those"
"So do I"
He knew that already, of course, Christina had shared her last box shortly after they'd met.
"Will...will you tell me another story?"
"Do you remember anything new?"
"It's all fractured bits"
"Like?"
"I think I might have fallen into the pool? I remember a splash"
"You didn't fall," Shaggy turned red, "I pushed you"
"Why?"
"Well..."
…...
"It's too cold!" Christina stuck a toe into her family's indoor pool.
"You just have to get used to it," Amora called as she floated past in nothing but a strappy bikini.
"C'mon Christy!" Sibella encouraged, "You do this every time!"
"Too Cold," the hybrid insisted, wrapping her arms around herself.
"You look cute," Draculaura complimented.
"Guess I wore it for nothing," Christina glanced at her new black swimsuit.
"Not on my watch!"
"Wha-"
bubbles exploded in front of her, the cold shooting through her, knees hitting the bottom of the pool, Christina pushed to the surface, brushing the wet hair aside Christina saw Shaggy cannonball into the pool.
"Oh I hate you!" she splashed him furiously.
"Love you too"
"Not so bad, is it?" Sibella whacked her in the side with the green pool noodle she'd been using.
"No"
"You're welcome!" Shaggy smirked.
Christina seized the smirking boy around the waist and dragged him underwater while humming the Jaws theme.
…...
"It's always so cold at first," Christina laughed.
"Remember anything else?"
"Nothing too big, but" she leaned forward voice dropping to a whisper, "I remember where the cookie jar is in the kitchen"
"Don't even think about it you two!" Dracula gave them the look.
"Dang it!"
"That's okay, I can like, tell you another story?"
"Yes, please"
…...
"Please rest!" Radu pleaded, "Only for a moment"
But, his pleas fell on deaf ears as Alissa, driven by nothing more than the desire to protect her only child, fought against her binds, willing the tiny wisps of magic to do more than briefly linger.
"Please," Radu strained his own binds to catch his wife's hands.
"That's it!"
"Vhat?"
"We have to do it together!"
…...
Dinner had gone surprisingly well. Christina was making a small effort to interact. Laughing with her cousins, and chatting with her friends. Now, flushed from laughter with eyes sparkling the hybrid sat next to Shaggy, nibbling on her plate of desserts.
Finally, Dracula dared to relax.
"Mother, MOTHER"
the voice cut through the conversations, silencing them. Maleficent paled, silverware clattering to the table.
There was a bright explosion. Everyone found themselves looking towards the end of the table where distorted phantoms took shape, looking like the image from a distorted VHS tape but there was no mistaking the duo. Radu and Alissa chained bleeding.
"Mother! Help us...has us...danger...please...HELP"
The spell was shaky, the message cutting in and out before ending altogether.
Christina looked ready to faint.
"Those...those...were...my"
"Christina," Dracula put his hands up placatingly, "Please"
"No one ever bothered to tell me they might be ALIVE? You never thought it was important?-"
"Please-"
"No, no, NO!" Christina stood, banging her fists on the table, the chair falling to the floor with a loud thunk, "I don't want to HEAR IT! First you hide these," she pointed to her horns, "then you apparently kept me a secret altogether but worst of all, WORST OF ALL! You never thought to tell me MY PARENTS MIGHT BE ALIVE?"
Frustrated, Christina knocked her plate to the floor before storming from the room.
Dracula looked at the remaining guests. "I-I-"
"Don't bother, Dracula," Maleficent stood from the table, followed by Vana then Elvira.
Until he was the only one left.
…...
My parents are Alive! Alive! Just, just trapped somewhere, Christina wrote, hot sticky tears sliding down her cheeks, No one apparently thought it was important enough to tell me. Or, Uncle Dracula thought it wasn't important enough. What else has he hidden in his efforts to 'protect' me? Aunt Vana told me the day I re-discovered my horns that it hadn't been her idea to hide them, in fact, she'd been very, very against it. She has been very, very against quite a few of Uncle Dracula's decisions which she promises he made wanting to keep me safe but he was also too afraid to see they'd do more harm than good.
There was no good.
Just a bunch of hastily made choices by a frightened man who couldn't find his missing brother and sister-in-law.
Everyone's still down there, talking amongst themselves but instead of talking about the game or the desserts, they're talking about how to find and more importantly rescue my parents.
Well, everyone but Shaggy who's still sitting outside my bedroom door. He stopped pleading to be let in but he's still there, waiting, hoping.
Maybe I'll let him in once I finish writing this, maybe I'll just take a nap,
oh, I wish I could wake up from this nightmare!
…...