Armin continued to support her down the hallway to Fred's room. The door had been left open for them. Fred had cleared up some of the clutter, and pushed his own bed off to one side, leaving a larger bed in its place. It had fresh, clean blue sheets.

Esme spotted them going in, and followed so she could nuzzle Dianne's arm in greeting, giving a soft chirp.

{Dianne lies down on the bed, petting Esme in response.}

Dianne: "Hey, sweetie...."

{Rolling on her side to Face Esme, she pulls her into her arms.}

Esme gave a friendly squeak. She let herself be pulled onto the bed, but didn't seem particularly keen on going to sleep, since it was the middle of the day.'

Armin scanned Fred's room, then looked back at them. '...You mind if I nap with you for a little bit? I was sitting in a hospital chair all night...'

Dianne: "I don't mind at all. These sheets seem thin, so I would appreciate the extra warmth."

'Thanks...'

He kicked off his shoes, then removed his jacket and hung it over the bedpost. Yawning, he climbed into the bed behind her, shifting onto his side and wrapping his arms around her.

{Still holding Esme, Dianne snuggles backwards into him, getting comfortable and closing her eyes, falling asleep immediately.}

Armin settled down and drifted off, holding onto her in a somewhat protective manner. Esme seemingly didn't have the heart to disturb them, and lay her head down quietly to wait until they awoke.

(Should we skip to something?)

(Sure, but I'm not sure to what. Dianne's not going to wake until she smells some sort of food. I guess Armin can wake up later and talk to the other characters.)

(Hmm. Maybe we could skip to evening, when I imagine everyone will be having some sort of dinner. They could both wake up then.)

(Ok, let's do that. who wants to start?)

(Hm, I'll go.)

----

A few hours later, as night was beginning to fall, Fred came into the living room, looking around at everyone who was in there. He wasn't very comfortable with having so many guests at his house, but hadn't complained. At least, not out loud.

'...I'm not making dinner for everyone, but we can order pizza if nobody's opposed to that.'

{Jerry was resting on the couch, listening to the tv. Pythia was quietly reading in her chair. Jerry opens an eye and surveys the room.}

Jerry: "Better get a couple, Fred. I'm seing a lot of hungry faces around the room."

'Get drinks, too,' said Ivy. She was sitting on the floor, not looking up from her phone. 'I want some Coke.'

'I'll get plenty for everyone,' said Frederick, going into the kitchen and pulling out his phone to order. 'Does anyone have pizza preferences...?'

Jerry: "Not really."

Pythia: "Pepperoni, please."

Fred didn't reply, but got on the phone and started ordering various things.

Ivy glanced up from her phone to eye Jerry. 'So... how're you feeling? It's been a few days since you nearly died.'

Jerry: "Better. Still a little off, but I'm feeling much better. I just wish I could have been there when Paxton attacked Dianne. Would have liked to put a bullet between his eyes. How about you? How are you feeling?"

Ivy didn't answer straight away. '...Fine, I guess. Sometimes I think about Kale, and how he'd still be alive if it weren't for me, but I guess there's no point in thinking about that...'

Jerry: "Yeah....well....there's no point in dwelling on that..."

Pythia: "Yeah, it's a tragedy what happened, but, it's not your fault..."

Barnabas: "What are you talking about, it's totally her fault!"

{The ghoul exclaims, suddenly appearing.}

Ivy scowled at Barnabas. 'I never said it wasn't my fault. I /know/ it is. He'd still be alive if I hadn't asked him to go into the park with me that night. He wasn't even /involved/ in this whole mess, they killed him just because he was with me!'

Jerry: "Barnabas, that's awfully callous of you. Can't you see she feels bad enough?"

Barnabas: "Well, maybe she'll think twice next time before disobeying a direct order. I don't like immature people."

Pythia: "Well, no one asked you, Barnabas!"

'Oh, and you're /not/ immature?' Ivy scoffed. She looked back down at her phone. 'Look, you're not telling me anything I don't already know, so you might as well go away...'

Barnabas: "And you wonder why people don't respect you...."

{With that, he fades out of existence.}

Ivy glared at the spot where he'd vanished, then returned to gazing at her phone, grumbling incoherently undee her breath.

Jerry: "Ivy, don't listen to him. We don't blame you for what happened."

Pythia: "Yes, he's a ghoul. All he does is spread discord."

Ivy pulled a face. 'I don't care whether you blame me or not. It /is/ my fault. I made it happen.'

'...Look,' said Rex, who had been sitting quietly in the corner until then. 'You are far from being the only person here who's responsible for innocent peoples' deaths. Armin, Dianne, and myself have all killed and regretted it. Just accept it, learn from your dam.n mistakes, and move on.'

{At that, Jerry just nods.}

Dianne: "Well said, Rex."

(Huh, Rex coming in clutch with the good advice. Dam. 0_0)

Ivy seemed to consider this, her demeanour calming a bit. As she did, the pizza delivery guy walked up to the front door, looking very wary of Pugna. Ivy decided to get up and answer it.

At the door knock, Armin woke up, finding himself embracing Dianne from behind. He didn't want to disturb her, so he stayed still. Esme, however, squirmed out of Dianne's grasp and ran off to investigate.

{Dianne remained asleep, even when Esme left. She seemed to be quiet tired, to ignore Esme's squirming and the knock at the door.}

Ivy retrieved the food and went back into the other room. Fred had gotten several pizzas with different toppings, as well as an array of drinks. After setting all the boxes down, Ivy sat back down. Esme came in, chirping curiously, and Rex put some pizza slices on a plate for her.

'Aren't /those two/ coming?' Ivy questioned, nodding vaguely towards Frederick's room. 'Shouldn't someone go and, you know, wake them up?'

Jerry: "Well, I guess you just volunteered, Ivy."

{Jerry states, grinning mischievously. }

Jerry: "Do be careful, waking a sleeping dragon tends to make them cranky."

{Smelling the pizza from the other room, Dianne opens her eyes and stirs.}

Dianne: "Hnnngh......pizza? They ordered pizza?"

Ivy just picked up a can of Coke and a slice of pizza. 'I wasn't volunteering! And I'm not going in there.'

Armin shifted slightly. 'Yeah, smells like it...' he replied, still lying there. 'You gonna get up and get some food?'

Dianne: "Yeah...I'm starving...."

{She sits up on the edge of the bed, swaying slightly as she tries to wake up.}

Armin sat up as well. 'Easy,' he cautioned. 'Don't stand up too fast.' He climbed off the bed and waited, so he could support her if she seemed like she might need it.

Dianne: "Yeah, I got it..."

{Slowly, she stands up. She takes a few uneasy steps until she makes it to the doorframe and heavily leans into it.}

Dianne: "...I'd appreciate an arm to support me...."

Armin had been following her towards the doorway. He put an arm around her, pulling her in to lean slightly against him. 'Am I gonna have to start carrying you everywhere, like at the tavern?' he said jokingly.

{Dianne just smirks at him.}

Dianne: "I don't know, I kind of liked having my own personal chauffeur."

{With his help, she walks into the living room.}

Ivy glanced up as they entered. 'Oh, look, they finally returned to the land of the living.'

Armin went over to the couch, which was large enough for him and Dianne to sit along with whoever else was on it. Letting her down, he sat beside her, gazing over the array of pizzas.

'We smelled food,' he said simply, reaching for a slice.

Pythia: "Dianne? How do you feel?"

Dianne: "...A little better....still dizzy and tired....but mostly hungry..."

Jerry: "Well, you look a lot better from last night."

{Dianne helps herself to a few slices of pizza, leaning back into the couch.}

'It's quite reassuring having Pythia around,' Armin remarked as he picked up a can of Coke, sipping from it curiously. 'She can always help whenever any of us have near-death experiences. Which seems to happen to us pretty regularly.'

Jerry: "Yeah, too often, if you ask me."

Pythia: "Well, I'm happy to help. Can't be having you dying on us...."

Dianne: "Yes, She's done a lot of good for us. And I for one am thankful."

Armin and Ivy continued eating quietly, momentarily focused on their food. Rex just drank some soda, seeming to have no interest in the food, and Fred was hiding in the kitchen, not wanting to sit in the crowded living-room.

{Dianne was content to sit quietly and eat her food. Jerry did the same, seemingly enjoying it. Barnabas appears in the kitchen behind Fred.}

Barnabas: "What's the matter, Fred-o? Don't like company?"

Fred eyed Barnabas. He was drinking a cup of tea, seemingly preferring it over the pizza and Coke. 'I don't mind their company. There's just not much space in there, hence why I decided to come to a quieter spot.'

Barnabas: "Mmmmm, but I can see that the crowds make you uncomfortable. But...is that all? Perhaps it's your father's....choice of company as of late, that makes you hide?"

Fred looked slightly perplexed at that. 'Are you suggesting I should... disapprove... of his... relationship... with Dianne? Why would that concern me, exactly? It's not as if I dislike her.'

Barnabas: "I dunno. You're dad's with another woman who isn't your mom. Some people find that disturbing."

'My mother has been dead for two hundred years,' said Frederick flatly. 'And I haven't seen her and Armin together since I was nine. I know that... relationships... mean a lot to most people... so I wouldn't expect him to never have another one. I suppose it is a little odd to think that, in a way, Dianne is part of my family now.'

Barnabas: "I guess so...boy, nothing really scare you, does it? I guess I should just go back to pestering Ivy..."

'Well, losing those I care about scares me, obviously,' said Fred calmly. 'But I think that's a fear everyone shares. Beyond that, I really don't know if I have any... specific fears.'

In the other room, Armin finished his food and leaned back comfortably on the couch beside Dianne, folding his arms and closing his eyes.

Barnabas: "Yeah, if I play on that one, Dianne will yell at me...Well, if you pick up any phobias, I'll know....Yeah, heh....if she marries Armin, you'll be her son....or was it step-son?....Familial connections are so confusing...."

{Dianne finished as well, having nearly eaten an entire pizza on her own. She leans back, watching Esme fondly.}

'Step-son... I think...' Fred sipped his tea, looking thoughtful. 'It's strange to think about, but if it happens, I'll just have to get used to the idea. Are they likely to get married?'

Ivy eyed Dianne and Armin over the top of her drink. 'You two were asleep for hours, how do you /still/ look tired?'

'I was stuck in a hospital chair all night, and she nearly died,' said Armin without opening his eyes.

Dianne: "Yeah...."

Pythia: "Well, when I heal people, All I really do is accelerate the process. All the raw material necessary for the process has to come from them. So, fatigue and increased hunger are common side effects."

Barnabas: "I think so. They seem extremely happy together. Like, /really/ happy. I'd keep it in consideration."

'Huh,' said Ivy. 'So you can heal someone, but they'll still be weak for days afterwards? That's unfortunate.'

Fred pulled a slight face. 'I honestly don't see the purpose behind getting married, but I suppose if people decide to... that's up to them.'

Barnabas: "Well, I guess we'll see..."

Pythia: "That's the way it works, I'm afraid."

Dianne: "But it sure beats dying...."

Jerry: "I'll say."

While everyone was sitting around, Esme had finished eating and was gazing curiously at everyone. After a while, she padded over to Pythia, nudging her arm and sniffing at her inquisitively. Ivy was finishing her drink, while Armin just reclined backwards on the couch, awake but dozy.

{Pythia looks down at Esme, smiling.}

Pythia: "Well, hello there, Esme."

{She then pets Esme fondly.}

Pythia: "Dianne and Armin taking good care of you?"

Esme allowed Pythia to pet her, pricking up her ears curiously.

'Of course we are,' said Armin. 'Or at least, I hope we are.'

Dianne: "We are...She's very happy with us...."

Pythia: "Yes, she seems very healthy and happy. And cute. You've adopted a good one."

Armin smiled faintly. Esme proceeded to leap onto the couch's headrest, sitting up there and gazing around at the room from her new vantage point.

'...I might just head back to bed in a minute...' said Armin. 'I could use the extra sleep.'

Dianne: "I'll go too....can barely keep my eyes open....."

Pythia: "Yes, you two should get some rest. Armin, can yo help her or should I?"

(Should I throw the teleporting vamp at them? The bounty is still a thing.)

(Oooh yeah, you could do that.)

Armin heaved himself to his feet. 'I can, don't worry.'

Esme scampered ahead of them to settle on the end of their bed. Armin waited for Dianne to get up, holding out an arm to support her.

{As Dianne was getting up, Pugna yells out from outside.}

Pugna: "Heads up, we got that teleporting vampire, headed straight for us!"

{Outside, there was a peregrine falcon headed right for the house. But, before anyone could shoot him, he teleported.}

//Hi.//

{As a bird, he appeared in the middle of the room, dropping a pair of grenades.}

//Bye!//

'...TAKE COVER!'

The yell came from Ivy, but everyone started to scramble away at the same moment. Ivy leapt up and vaulted over the back of the couch. Rex shifted to raven form and flapped noisily towards the kitchen. Armin, with a surge of adrenaline, picked up Dianne and started to move towards the hallway, turning his back on the grenades. Fred started to back away, hesitating to make sure everyone else was clear.

{Jerry followed Ivy's example and scrambled behind the couch. Pythia stood up and extended her hands, covering the grenades in a domal ward. The grenades go off, but are successfully contained by Pythia. The vampire shifts to human form and immediately lunges for Armin and Dianne, blades poised to stab.}

Armin was hindered by holding Dianne, and couldn't move quickly or defend effectively. Snarling, he turned on the spot, keeping his body between Dianne and the assailant's blades. At that moment, Ivy, who had been crouching behind the couch, threw herself at the vampire's legs, trying to tackle him.

{Pythia extended her hands and created a ward between him and Armin. Ivy managed to trip the vampire up, causing him to fall and collide face first into the ward.}

Vampire: "....Ow...."

{He then quickly teleported out of sight, right as Pugna burst through the door.}

Vampire: //Right, I forgot to do something first...//

{Teleporting back in. right behind Pythia, he stabs her through the neck before teleporting again, narrowly avoiding Pugna's blade. Pythia falls to her knees, clutching her bleeding neck.}

Dianne: "PYTHIA!!!!"

Vampire: //There....No free heals for you now.//

(Posting new room, also RIP.)