YES!
Coming to a close and a happy ending.
One more to go.
Awesome.
Thanks for reading.
Cristof wasn't usually hard to figure out but just when he'd get a normal routine; he'd change something about it. Today, he followed Adia around like a lost puppy instead of staring out the window longingly like he normally did.
"I gotta go to work sweets." Adia said as she stood in the bathroom with a flat iron.
"But I don't want you too." he pouted, looking childlike.
"It wouldn't look good if I suddenly started taking days off, sweets." she said softly, "If you're worried about something tell me but otherwise I have to go."
"Go in late." he said instead.
"They'd notice that too I'm sad to say." She smiled at him.
"Why? You could have had an errand." Cristof said, watching her closely. He was ready to argue at all angles.
"I could have, but I'd have told them that last night." she pointed out. "Unless there was something more urgent and the more urgent the easier to be excused."
"I hid your keys." he sang happily, walking away from the bathroom door finally.
"That's not a good excuse since you shouldn't be here. C'mon sweets." she set down the iron and unplugged it before following him.
"Uh uh." he shook his head, walking into the living room. "Hid them. Gone forever, or until I want them."
"Cris." she grabbed his hand, stopping him before moving to stand in front of him "You're gonna get me in trouble. Please go get my keys.
"I've already gotten Adia into trouble." he tilted his head slightly as if trying to understand the difference between that and this.
"That I can manage. This will give them more ammo against me okay? So keys please." she said softly.
He pouted. "But I want Adia here when I go."
"Go.." she repeated, "Where are...your brother. Great."
Cristof smiled brightly, clearly excited. "No worries for Adia. Lily is driving. Lily had the directions, not Ezra."
"I'm not worried about Ezra knowing where I live sweets." she reached up to stroke his cheek gently before walking back toward the bathroom. "I worry about you."
"Adia shouldn't worry about me either. Ezra takes care of me. Ezra worries enough for everyone who should worry and doesn't." Cristof smiled though something about it was sad.
"Alright sweets. But get my keys would you. I don't need you leaving me stranded here." she mused.
Cris pulled the keys out of his pocket and dangled them in front of her. "Kay."
She chuckled, taking them out of his hand before shoving them in her pocket. "I should have guess that one."
"I think I won that game." He smiled wide. "It won't be long. You won't be very late."
"Just tell them I forgot to set my alarm." she shrugged.
He clapped happily for a moment before grinning at her. "Yes. Good. Very good! Bad alarm! Thank you Adia."
"You know, I like that you're easy to please." She smiled lightly as she looked back into the mirror to put on a bit of mascara.
"Why couldn't I be?" he asked. "It was a win, win. win."
"You should be, makes life nice." she chuckled.
He nodded, watching her still. "Are you upset that I'm leaving, Adia?"
"Course I am, sweets." She set her things down and leaned on the counter to look at him. "I'll miss you."
Cristof actually looked startled and stared off at the floor for a few minutes. "I'm sorry."
"Why? That's my problem. Its not your fault or anything." she said quickly, "I can know your safe all I want but I won't be there to make sure and plus, you're fun to be around. The hospital's different and it's going to be creepy quiet around here now. I'll get over it though. You need to do what's good for you."
"But I don't want you to go back there at all, Adia. It's not good there and not for Adia at all. Stay." Cristof mumbled.
"I need a job sweets. Until I get another, I'm stuck there." She explained.
"Okay." Cristof said, not looking the least bit concerned. "We get Adia new job."
"I'm working on it, that I can promise you that." she smiled lightly. "I don't exactly like being there much anymore."
Cristof smiled at her. "I'm working on it too."
"Are you now?" she chuckled.
"Yes." he said determinedly but it was hard for her to take it seriously. He had a child like view of being able to do anything.
"You're silly. I'm really am going to miss you." she chuckled.
"No you won't." he laughed softly before perking up like a small child expecting guests. "Car door! Car door!"
"Go unlock the door and open it but stay inside okay?" she smiled.
"Okay!" He said, running off instantly. He did as he was told and went back into the living room to wait excitedly. He had missed his brother more then even he had thought.
Ezra and Lily were making their way up the walk and let them selves in when they saw the door crack open in front of them. Ezra felt as though he'd been holding his breath up until that moment and seeing his brother made him sigh with relief. He walked into the house and into the living room without so much as a hello and wrapped his arms instantly around Cris.
"Ezra." Cristof muttered, clinging tightly to his brother for the first few seconds before loosening his grip into a normal hug.
"See, the world didn't end with me not speeding." Lily smiled a little.
"Lord, don't ever do that crap again Cris." Ezra sighed, ignoring Lily's comment.
"But I told you. I told you." Cristof was almost pouting. "It had to get worse before it got better, or it wouldn't have worked out the way I wanted."
"No. It didn't. You could have told me she was a crazy bitch and I'd have taken you back. Which is what I'm doing now." Ezra finally loosened his hold. Lily smiled; shaking her head as she moved passed them, further into the room.
"But I tired and I couldn't." Cristof mumbled. "I was sick."
"Yeah...I know. I'm so sorry. I should have noticed. " Ezra said softly, obviously feeling guilty over that night.
"Well its done and dealt with now. He's fine." Adia said.
"All better." Cristof smiled wide, still clinging to his brother. A part of him was afraid they'd be apart for that long again.
"Over with now." Lily agreed with a smile before turning to Adia. "I'm Lily, nice to meet you Adia."
"Nice to see the voice in his head." Adia chuckled.
"I guess.." Ezra muttered, keeping an arm around Cristof.
"It's okay now." Cristof muttered. "I have thoughts."
"Many." Lily muttered, a smile curving her lips.
"What about?" Ezra asked.
"About what?" Cristof smiled at his brother. "About where to go and where's the best place and where's the worst place and who needs to know and who should be informed and who doesn't need to know and who will know regardless of the fact that I don't want them too and then the ones I don't care if they know."
"Many thoughts." Lily repeated. "Wow, my head hurts."
"Why don't we head home and then you can share these thoughts with us." Ezra mused, impressed with himself for keeping up with Cristof's babbling.
"Cause Adia needs to know too and I hate, hate, really hate having to repeat everything." Cristof said.
"Only a little late, huh." Adia smirked lightly at him before chuckling. "Why don't you guys sit. There's still some coffee if you guys want some."
"Thank you." Lily smiled. "C'mon Ezra, we don't have to rush."
Cristof paused. "I am staying with Lily then. I've missed you Lily." he said, still hanging on Ezra's arm. He didn't have it in him to let go.
"I missed you too Cris." Lily laughed softly.
"Until we figure out something else." Ezra agreed, "But you said you had some ideas so, let's hear them."
Cristof inhaled slowly as he sat, thinking over how he wanted to start. "I am naïve."
Lily burst into a quiet fit of giggles and waited for him to continue.
"If you say so." Ezra chuckled, sitting next to him.
"But I gotta be sometimes or my head would explode everywhere. But other then that there's isn't too much wrong with me, or so I've been told. I don't have an actual problem I just know to much at one time." He paused and nodded. "So I should go home. Cept not that home cause I'm not wanted there. I should go places where I'm wanted."
"He's thinking along your train of thought Ezra." Lily smiled. "He's checking himself out of the hospital."
"Cept he cant because he's in involuntary care. His doctors or a court would have to give the okay." Adia said softly.
"Yep, and the doctors won't. At least my doctor's won't. Take it to the court, get a new doctor. I get myself checked out." Cristof smiled. "But I'm still not actually dependent enough to be on my own. A state approved nurse is what I want. I want Adia."
"That job..." Adia chuckled "I have the training for that."
"We'd have to get our parents to agree that I could have custody of you then take it to court that you be alright with just a nurse." Ezra rubbed the back of his neck, "I suppose that would work."
"It will. I can be very persuasive." Cristof smiled sweetly.
"Cristof." Lily scolded but a small smile was still on her lips. "You be nice to your parents."
Ezra chuckled, "Maybe I should handle them.."
Cristof pouted. "I wasn't gonna do anything."
"Liar." Lilly smiled. "But I guess it's good you have a back up plan. I'm actually a little amused by that."
"Yeah, I have to go to work though. Call me when you work out the details." Adia mused. "There's a spare key in the kitchen drawer. Lock the door on the way out would you?"
Cristof pulled out they key from his pocket and smiled. "Kay."
Adia stared at him, laughing lightly, "Stop trying to upstage me."
"Well Adia does leave me to my own devices when at work." He laughed. "I found games to play on my own."
"See, you're gonna turn into a troublemaker like your brother." Lily teased, giving Ezra the accusing look he deserved.
"He is a trouble maker." Adia leaned down to wrap her arms around his shoulders.
Cristof grinned. "Only a little bit."
"And a liar." She chuckled, standing up and going to get her shoes
He gasped, a heart broken look crossing his face that wasn't as nearly effective as his real heart broken look. "Ow. Words hurt."
Lily laughed softly, biting her lip a little to keep from commenting.
"Love ya sweets." Adia smiled. Ezra sat back to observe the two, it wasn't as hard seeing them together, to understand his obsession with her. She might not have been his favorite person but she treated his brother well and he could appreciate that.
"Are you sure you gotta go to work? Really really sure?" Cristof asked in one more small attempt to get her to stay.
"Yes sweets. Just a day." Adia smiled softly, shrugging on her coat.
"We won't hang around too long." Lily commented when Cristof just continued to pout for not getting his way.
"That's fine. Just call if you need something." She smiled.
"We'll try to make it work." Ezra said, "Best idea so far."
"I am very clever." Cristof said with a straight face that only lasted a second or two before his laughter started.
"Very Clever" Ezra chuckled.
"I'll see you soon sweets," Adia said to Cristof.
He waved to her, sobering a little as he realized she was leaving now. "Bye bye, Adia." He said, watching her walk out.
"So." Ezra mused when she finally closed the front door with a wave to Cris, "Gotta call mom now, I guess."
Cristof almost winced. "I'm sorry about that Ezra."
"Don't be. You're back, this I can handle." Ezra mused.
"Yeah but I'm a far cry from dealing with them. They don't get me." Cristof muttered. "And they don't get you for getting me."
"That's okay though." he shrugged, "That's my job."
"Yeah but they think I'm weird." he muttered with a sigh. "Ah well. I think it'll work. I get to see you and Adia and no more doctors with needles."
"I took care of you the whole time I lived there. They damn well better agree." Ezra muttered. "I'll make sure they do."
Cristof nodded a little, leaning against his brother. "Thank you Ezra."
"I'm glad to finally see you better..." Ezra said quietly.
He smiled wide, squeezing him closer into his embrace. "I missed you a lot. We shouldn't disappear on each other anymore."
Ezra smiled wrapping his arm around Cristof, "I missed you too. I wanted to come last night."
"Sorry, I vetoed that decision." Lily mused.
"I'd have liked last night a lot too but it doesn't make too much of a difference as of now. Not really anyway." Cristof said.
"Woulda to me." Ezra pouted at Lily.
"You're both too damn cute when you're together." Lily grinned a little.
"Thank you for taking care of Ezra for me, Lily." Cristof smiled wide.
"Thanks Lily." Ezra smiled lightly, "For taking us here, not 'taking care of me'. Now lets go home."
"Awe, you're not arguing, I'm so proud." Cristof said, completely serious no matter how it sounded. He hugged Ezra closer before releasing him. "I already packed the bag you gave me, I'll go get it."
Ezra smiled lightly, watching Cris run off and sighed once more in relief.
"He's okay, Ezra." Lily said softly, letting the thought sink in herself. "He's oddly resilient, as always."
"I know. Feels like a weight's off my chest." Ezra said softly.
"You're a blessing for him." Lily said, getting up and patted his shoulder as she moved past him. "Remember that, would you?"
"Sure." he muttered.
"Good." She smiled, as Cristof was back in the doorway.
"Shall we then?" Ezra asked, finally pulling himself up to stand
"To Lily's house!" Cristof cheered.
Thanks for reading, happy painless ending. Onto the epilogue.
Silverbolts- yes…yes they may…^_^ thanks for reviewing.
Mmary- horray for reuniting! They're sweet aren't they?
Miss Sayuri-San- thanks for reading ^^