Staying Strong

hope you all liked the last chapters little twist, I knew it was so unexpected! And I just want to say that I appreciate everyone that has favorited my story or who is following. The support keeps me goin! No Slender rights.

I pulled back and moved away from Slender with confused and wide eyes, how could he just expect me to try and forget that we were the reason Charlies brother was dead? "How can you expect me to do that, it's going to haunt me if I don't tell her! And it is mostly my fault, if I hadn't been captured then you wouldn't have had to save me and kill them." "It is not your fault, and they deserved what they got." I turned and looked over towards the wall as I crossed my arms and whispered a reply, hoping he didn't hear when I realized my mistake, "I wish you would have let me die..." He moved closer, "What did you say?" I didn't reply and he began to get frustrated, he spun me around to face him and he grew a few inches. "What did you just say Orella?" I looked at him with a sorrowful expression before looking up a bit more, feeling shamed at what I said but knowing there was some truth to it. "I said...that I wish you would have let me die..."

I heard him let out a frustrated growl and he turned my head up towards him, "You know that I never could have-" "But I wish you would have! I always seem to be causing more trouble than I'm worth! I'm nothing special and you should have killed me when you had the chance." I turned my head away and pulled my arm from his grip, not feeling worthy enough to look him in the 'eye'. "Is that what you really think? That you're just some troublesome pest and you should be wiped from the face of this world by something worse than nightmares? I say you don't have room to say anything like that when your the epitome of a perfect...a beautiful...soul, and not a monster." "I'm not a beautiful soul,I'm broken,you've even said so yourself! How can something broken be worth anything, especially to someone like you?!" He wrapped two tentacles around me softly and lifted me to his eye level, "What I said was horrible and stupid, I would trade my life a thousand times if it meant you would be happy! It is not I who deserves better, but you. How could you choose to be with someone, something, like me?! A monster!"

I knew that we were only arguing because I started it and I just felt extremely guilty, but hearing him say that with such conviction made my heart pound against my ribs. Before he could utter another word I wrapped my hands around his neck and pulled him forward and my mouth melded with his, it felt comforting and had a sense of normality to it. He seemed a bit surprised at first but then he got right into it, and soon I was the one coming up for breath from the heated kiss. As I rested my forehead against his neck I felt teeth lightly graze over the skin of my collarbone, making me shudder in pleasure. I planted a kiss or two against his neck while he continued and I gasped in surprise when he lightly bit down on the pulse in my neck, the action sending shivers through my body. Slender looked at me as I gasped and he seemed a bit worried, "I didn't hurt you did I?" I shook my head and with a breathy laugh I captured his mouth again before answering, "No, quite the opposite. Do it again." He grinned wolfishly and I leaned my head to the side again as he ran his teeth down my neck and bit lightly at the pulse. I knew that things were getting heated but it was just how we were releasing the tension, and I wasn't complaining. I felt one of his snake like appendages move its way under my shirt and lightly caress my skin, it was an innocent gesture and I melted into the feeling, loving the warmth and care behind it. I pulled his mouth back to mine but this time it was slowly, most of the heat and fever gone but the love and care remained. I felt his smooth tongue lightly brush my lips and I giggled as it tickled a bit too much, I pulled back and looked at him with half lidded eyes as he leaned his head against mine. "How have I become so lucky...so privileged...to have someone like you come into my life?" "Because, you deserve happiness too. Everyone does."

He then rested his forehead against my neck ,as I was doing with his, and pressed a kiss lightly to my collarbone. It was such an innocent gesture that I was nearly brought to tears, but I merely smiled and snuggled into his warmth. We waited a few moments for our breath to slow before he spoke again, "I now know that I can not live without you, please do not speak of how you wish you were dead...it pains me to hear you speak like that." I nodded as I let his words sink in, regret tugging at my heart as I realized how much my words had hurt him. "I'm sorry, I...I was just in pain and I thought that If I just said what I thought was right...it would stop." He pressed a few more light kisses to my neck before running a tentacle end over the scar on my jawline, "I know, but do you really think that telling Charlie about what happened would make anything better right now?" "...No." "I promise, we will find the right way and time to tell her. Just not now." I smiled and chuckled lightly as the one tentacle kept running over my jaw line, tickling me slightly, but then I frowned as I heard him promise. "I...you don't have to promise. Every time someone makes a promise something happens...and I don't think I could live with that if-" "Nothing will happen to me Ella, and nothing will happen to you,I will never leave you as long as you want me around. And even when you don't, I would always watch over you, my young hunter. You will never truly be alone."

(Later in town) "So what are we looking for besides useful stuff?" "A working car, but I was just lucky that I found the first one." Charlie and I decided that enough snow had melted for us to go into town to pick up a few things such as dog food, if we found any, and more canned foods if there was any left. But we were also in need of another vehicle so we were trying out our luck while Slender stayed at the cabin to watch over it. "Hey Ella, check this one out." I turned to see her standing beside what seemed to be a slightly worn down dark green jeep, it had scratches and dents sure, but a car is a car. I really hoped that it would work, so we both hopped in and began rifling through all the storage spaces and through the back seat hoping to find a spare set of keys.

"Ah ha! Found em!" Charlie tossed me the extra set of keys she found under the seat and we grinned at each other. "Alright, c'mon baby." We crossed our fingers as I stuck in the keys and turned it to start, the jeep stuttered and I tried again with the same result. I heard Charlie curse but I knew that I wasn't going to give up, so I turned the keys one more time. The engine stuttered again but then it roared to life, making me jump with joy in my seat and I hit Charlie lightly in the shoulder. "That's what I'm talking about, lets put some gas in it and then we'll fill it up when we get back." She nodded and we hopped out to grab what supplies we picked up, then we got back in and headed back to the cabin.

As we walked back up to the house I motioned to be quiet as we entered, "What? You think he's gonna be asleep or somethin?" I shrugged and opened the door quietly, making sure to shut it quietly as well, and we set our supplies in the kitchen. "I'll be right back." I walked to my room and peered in the half shut door, and the sight that I saw made me want to crumble with laughter. Slender, the Slender man, was laying asleep on my bed with my kitten sleeping in the crook of his neck, this was priceless. "Charlie! Charlie get over here now!" I whispered out to the kitchen harshly and let her peer in as well as she rushed up, and I saw her shoulders shake with silent laughter. "Oh my god what I wouldn't give for a camera right now!" I nodded with a smile and turned away from the door, but then I noticed Charlie slip in and move towards Slender's sleeping form. "What are you doing?!" She snickered as she stopped, as silent as a ghost, by his head and pulled something out of her pocket.

"Charlie what is that?" She held it up and I felt my breath stop in my throat, it was a black marker. "Don't you dare!" But she looked straight at me as she took the cap off and lowered the marker to his face, I turned away because I knew I was going to laugh if I watched. After a minute or two I heard her walk back over and I looked over to see her grinning like the Cheshire cat, "Don't worry, it's not permanent." I didn't even bother too look at Slender so I just turned around and sat on the couch while Charlie grabbed a few of the energy bars we had and and some water. She tossed me one and set my drink down while she sat on the opposite end of the couch, I bit into my bar and glance over at her through narrowed eyes, "You do know that he is going to kill you when he wakes up right?" She shrugged and smiled as she drank some of the water and then took another bite of her food, "Oh well, it was totally worth it."

I'm pretty sure it was only about another minute before I heard movement in the bedroom then the door slammed open to reveal a very angry Slender. His tentacles were waving angrily and I was about to shrink back in a bit of fear but then I saw what was on his face...Charlie had taken a magic marker and drawn a stupid looking smiley face on his blank one. The eyes pupils were pointing in every which way and his mouth was a squiggly line, I really tried not to laugh but it was almost impossible because all I could look at was the poorly drawn face. "What is on my face!" "Uh...accident?" He looked over to me and I could feel the irritation radiating off of him, so I covered my mouth while simultaneously pointing at Charlie. He turned towards her and I saw her cocky smirk disappear and turn to a look of fear as he leaned in close, his teeth showing dangerously, and he spoke in a low growl. "You are treading a very dangerous path, it would be wise to stay. In. Line." She nodded and kept the look of fear on for another few moments before her frown turned into a grin and she started to chuckle, "I promise, no more. But you have to admit this is hilarious!" She rolled onto her side with laughter and Slender turned back towards me, his shoulders hunched in annoyance and the dumb looking face remained, "Come here." I took hold of his hand and shot my friend a dirty look as I pulled him out to the kitchen, I made him stand by the sink and I pulled down a bowl to put water in and then I dug up a wash cloth. The water was room temperature so it wasn't freezing cold and I beckoned Slender to bend down towards me, 'What are you going to do?" "I'm going to wash it off, don't worry I'll be gentle." I smiled at him and he nodded as he bent towards me, I held in my laughter so as not to embarrass and degrade him further and managed to get it all off quite easily. "There." I said the word as I finished but Slender didn't move, he just laid his head against my neck and lifted me upwards as he straightened out.

I didn't say a word for a few seconds as I let him breath for a few moments, "Something wrong?" He turned his head so that he spoke into my neck, "I have just been pondering a question, nothing so serious though." "...and?" "...Does it bother you that I do not have a face?" I was wrought speechless by the question for I have never even thought of that, in fact, I had just deemed it normal for me and brushed it off. He seemed to grow distressed as I didn't answer and I snapped back to reality as he called my name, "Orella?" I shook my head and looked at him with a guilty smile, "Sorry, I was just lost in thought. And to be honest, It's never bothered me. I never really think about it and it's just a normal thing for me." He merely smirked and turned his head back to bury it in my collar bone, "Like I said, how could I be so lucky to have a beautiful soul such as yourself be with a monster like me?...I will never understand it."

Oooo fluffly lovey and funny chapter. I loved writing this one honestly, please leave me your reviews!