Janet's expression shifted to deeper confusion, then wariness, and then curiosity. She turned around, just as Armin reluctantly inched out of the shadows. His expression was thick with pain and guilt.

'...Armin?' said Janet.

'...Yes...' he replied.

She slowly approached him, looking into his face.

'You're still alive? So... you were alive all that time?'

'...I never died... I just couldn't see you again... I /wanted/ to... but... I couldn't risk your life by trying...'

'Let me guess, something happened that could have put me in danger? So you never even bothered to try? Never even sent me a note, or gotten someone else to tell me you were alive? /Anything?'/ said Janet a little hotheadedly.

Dianne: "He was being blackmailed by a vampire named Sargon. He had people watching you your whole life. If Armin tried to contact you, Sargon's people would have killed you and both your children."

Armin winced at Janet's sharp words. Before he could speak up, she continued.

'How did you even get into that situation?! One evening, everything was fine, and then you just went out and never came back!'

'...I was on my way home from work,' said Armin dully. 'I got ambushed by a vampire, then dragged into some genocidal non-human gang who wanted to take over the city... Trust me, I tried /desperately/ to find a way to contact you safely... But anything I tried would have endangered you, or Fred, or Julie... And then y-you died and it was too late...'

His voice began to sound constricted as he bit back emotion. Janet's demeanour softened.

'...If all of that is true... And I have no reason to doubt you... then it wasn't your fault. You were in a horrible situation and just wanted to protect us from it... A part of me wants to resent you for putting us through that, but I never could...'

{Dianne sat down, silently listening to them converse.}

Armin was still avoiding Janet's gaze. 'The last thing I wanted was to make you suffer. I didn't want to leave you alone, believe me.'

'I know,' said Janet quietly. 'And I wasn't completely alone. Julie... well, she grew up and moved on. But Fred stayed with me my whole life, even after he became a vampire. I knew he was looking for you.'

'He found me. Just not soon enough to be able to tell you.'

'Well, that's OK. He never forgot about me, no matter how busy he was.' Janet gazed around distractedly. 'So, is this your house?'

'This is the worst room in it, but yes...' Armin shifted. 'Look... I'm still sorry for everything. I don't care whether it was my fault or not; you still suffered because of me--'

'Oh, don't start that. It was that bast.ard vampire who made it happen. And it doesn't matter anymore. I'm grateful for all the years I spent with you, and for our children. And knowing that you're still alive and well gives me all the peace I could want, Hawky.'

(So many novel posts)

(Noveeeeels XD)

{Dianne smirked slightly at "Hawky", but respectfully remained silent.}

Armin sunk to his knees, not knowing how to respond. His expression was open, showing a mixture of relief, lingering guilt, and grief. He looked into Janet's eyes, and she smiled slightly.

'I've had my life, Armin. Yes, I did miss you... but I still had the children, and like I said, Fred took care of me. My life wasn't terrible. And now I know you're alive, I can happily go to rest. Don't mourn me any longer, please. Just live /your/ life, because it's nowhere near over.'

Armin looked down and nodded, looking close to tears.

Janet slowly turned and walked away from him, towards Dianne instead. Her head tilted, she regarded Dianne curiously.

'Dianne, wasn't it?... I just wanted to say thank you for giving me a way to come here and talk to him.'

(Gtg bbl)

{Dianne smiles at Janet as she speaks.}

Dianne: "Of course. He was really distraught about leaving you so long ago, so he asked me to do this, so he could say things that needed to be said."

'I appreciate it. We both do.'

Janet then looked back and forth between Armin and Dianne, contemplating.

'Friends, are you?'

Armin cleared his throat. 'Not quite...' he muttered, avoiding her gaze.

Janet smirked, understanding. '...Are you happy with this?'

'Happier than I've been in a long time.'

'Then you have my blessings. I just want you to live your life and not be alone.' Janet turned to Dianne again. 'Take care of him. He's reckless and thoughtless sometimes, but he's a sweet man nonetheless.'

Dianne: "I will. We're going to take care of each other. No matter what comes, we'll take it together."

{Deep down, Dianne was relieved that Janet approved of their union. She had no idea what Janet was like, or how she might react.}

'Have a good life together, and have fun - just don't get killed. At least not too soon.'

Janet surveyed the room.

'Well, I guess I'd better be going...'

Dianne: "Don't worry. I have no plans to die, or to let this one perish. Alright, before I send Janet on her way, is there anything else you want to say to her?"

Armin was still kneeling there.

'Just, thank you,' he said. 'Thank you for the life we had together, and for being such an important part of mine. Those nineteen years meant more to me than I can say. I'll never forget you.'

'I never forgot, either,' said Janet. 'Thank you for everything you were - my best friend, my husband, and the father of our children. This is goodbye, but I'll always love you.'

She leaned down and kissed his head - or rather, mimed doing so, since she couldn't actually touch him.

'...Goodbye,' said Armin thickly.

{Once Janet and Armin said their goodbye, Dianne stands and approaches Janet.}

Dianne: "Rest well, Janet. I'll take good care of him."

{Raising her hand, Dianne eases Janet back to the afterlife.}

(I'm going to be out all day, so I might not reply much today.)

(Awww, OK)

Janet's gaze didn't leave Armin, and she smiled softly at him as she faded from existence. She calmly let herself be pulled away, her final goodbyes done, content to rest now that she knew he was safe.

Armin remained kneeling, staring at the place where Janet had last been. His expression flickered wildly through a range of emotions. They included sorrow and grief, but also acceptance and gratitude.

{With Janet gone, Dianne walks over to Armin, kneels to his level, and pulls him into a tight embrace. She says nothing, gently rocking with him as they sat in the dark room.}

Armin sniffed a little, leaning into her embrace and trying to regain his composure. //And so a new chapter begins.// He knew this was the right thing to do, and he was incredibly grateful for the chance to say goodbye to Janet and to know she didn't hate him. But it didn't make that final, heartfelt goodbye any less painful.

{Dianne stays put, content to wait with him as long as it takes. She gently strokes his hair, remaining silent.}

Armin stared at the altar for several minutes. Finally, he closed his eyes, taking a long breath and letting it out as a sigh.

//She was more forgiving than I expected her to be... I have my closure. Sleep well, Janet. I have the rest of my life to live.//

He slowly stood up. 'Let's go.'

Dianne: "Ok."

{Getting up, Dianne walks to the door and opens it. She waits for Armin there, to see where he wants to go.}

Armin went into the bedroom, where he began to silently change into his sleepwear. Esme was fast asleep on the end of the bed; it was quite late by then. When Armin was finished, he climbed onto the bed, but didn't lie down. He just sat there, looking pensive.

{Deciding that she didn't want to leave Armin alone, Dianne fore went taking a shower and just changed into her sleep wear. Sitting next to him, she looks at him worriedly.}

Dianne: "Hey. Are you going to be ok?"

'Yeah... It's just a lot to take in. For so long, she didn't know what happened to me, and I didn't know whether she hated me or not... Now we both know the truth. It's hard to say goodbye, but I finally feel like I can close that chapter, so to speak. And I'm looking forward to my life with you.'

He leaned sideways and affectionately kissed her cheek.

'Thank you.'

{Dianne smiles, pulling Armin into a hug.}

Dianne: "I'm glad I was able to help you get closure. I'm also looking forward to our life together. If the last two months have been any indication, it's that our lives won't be boring."

Armin gave a quiet chuckle, holding her tightly.

'Of course. What's life without a bit of mayhem? I like the occasional adrenaline rush.'

He pulled back, tilting his head away and giving a deep yawn.

'Let me give you a back rub before I fall asleep.'

Dianne: "Alright. Thanks."

{Letting him go, she proceeds to lie down on her front.}

Dianne: "I love you, Armin. So, so much."

He blinked a little, then gave a soft, sincere smile. Shifting closer, he slid his hands under the back of her shirt and began to rub her shoulders first.

'The feeling is mutual.'

{Dianne settles in comfortably, silently enjoying the back rub.}

Armin intended to continue until she drifted off. He was mentally and emotionally drained from the evening's events, and it was nice to focus on this simple task.

{It didn't take long for Diann to drift off to sleep. She lay there, completely at ease. She lay there, smiling softly as she slept.}

By the time she was asleep, Armin could barely keep his eyes open. He settled down beside her, pulling the blanket snugly over them both.

//Tomorrow is a new day. I'll feel better in the morning.//

He didn't let his thoughts linger on Janet for too long. Instead, he turned himself to thoughts of Dianne, Esme and Rex, and how much he loved them all, before drifting off.

(I guess we skip?)

(Yes, who should start?)

(I'll go.)

{Late the next morning, Dianne awakens. Opening her eyes groggily, she looks over at Armin and Esme. She remembered what happened last night, and wanted to see if Armin was still asleep, and, if he was awake, ask him how he felt.}

Esme was still asleep, curled into a ball like a cat. Armin was just beginning to stir. When Dianne looked at him, he opened his eyes, squinting against the light.

'...Hello...' he said drowsily.

Dianne: "Morning, amateotl. How are you feeling?"

{She spoke in the most loving tone she could.}

'Mhmm...' Armin pulled her close, sleepily nuzzling under her neck. '...Pretty good... Less strange than yesterday, at least... How about you...?'

{With a contented sigh, she happily embraces him, tensing slightly at the sensation.}

Dianne: "I'm fine...I was just concerned about you...Glad to hear you're feeling good."

'It's very nice... to wake up... and to have you asking me that as the first thing I hear.' He gave a contented hum, eyes closed as he snuggled up to and nuzzled her. 'You're so nice to me...'

Dianne: "Of course I am, babe...You're my amateotl...I need to make sure you're ok..."

{She welcomes his embrace, settling down in his arms.}

'...I lived a long time without anyone giving a damn about my health... so it feels very nice to have people who care again...'

After a moment, Armin drowsily shifted so he was on top of her, in a similar position to the one she sometimes pulled him into.

{Dianne wraps her arms around Armin in response, hugging him tightly and kissing his face.}

Dianne: "It is a nice feeling....I'm sorry I scared you so many times...with Agamidae, and Paxton...and the araneos...but I'm happy you care so much about me too..."

'Eh, you can't always help it... I guess I /could/ ask you to be more careful when we fight things... But at least I know you're tough. You might get stabbed and shot more than I'd like, but at least you're hard to kill...'

Dianne: "Yeah...I'll be more careful...for all of our sakes...I might be tough...but I still feel...every wound...every heart break...things I never wanted to feel..."

{Tightening her grip, she affectionately burrows into him.}

'Mhm... As much as I like action, I don't like seeing you hurt... and it happens way too often... I should get the crap beaten out of me more often. We have to share the responsibility,' said Armin half-jokingly, as he snuggled against her.

Dianne: "Careful what you wish for...I don't like seeing you get hurt either...speaking of...getting the crap beaten out of you...do you want to do some hand to hand sparring? That punch you threw at Crowley was trash tier..."

'Excuse me?' said Armin, sounding halfway between insulted and amused. 'No it wasn't. I actually /hit/ him, and have you seen how fast that guy is?'

Dianne: "Sure, you were fast, but you lacked power, and you had no follow up. He just shook it off and slashed you. All I'm saying is I can teach you proper hand to hand engagement."

'Alright, I guess that would be helpful... Though, I thought you were scared of sparring with me. You always refused, after what happened last time...'

Dianne: "I was...but then I fell in love with you...now I'm certain I could never hurt you..."

'I'm sure you won't. I probably won't instinctively bite you when I start losing, either...'

Dianne: "That's good...just to let you know, if you were to inject venom, I could be off my feet longer than if I were hit by a light weapon...It's not fun for me..."

{On that note, she snuggles into his neck before settling in.}

'That long?' Armin snuggled into her, tensing slightly at the touch to his neck. 'Don't worry, I have full control over whether I use venom or not... it wouldn't happen by accident... But, like with any vampire... sometimes the instinct to bite things just... jumps out of control...'

Dianne: "Relax, I won't be rough with you....I doubt you'll feel the need..."

'Yeah, let's try not to let anything like that happen. Neither of us wants a repeat of last time.'

Armin then nuzzled his head underneath her jaw, settling down comfortably, as if he wasn't going to get up until she did.

{Dianne stayed still, content to wait until Esme woke up and bugged them for food.}

Dianne: "That's for sure...Last time still bugs me..."

'It's fine. It doesn't matter anymore.'

Armin fell silent, comfortably settled. After a short while, Esme awoke, stretching and yawning. She jumped onto Armin's back, then bounded off of him, making her way towards the door.

'Well, the baby dragon decided to get up... I guess that means we have to as well...' murmured Armin reluctantly.

Dianne: "Yup...I'll get up...once you get off of me..."

{She replies sleepily. Despite saying she'd get up, Dianne seemed to doze off again right away.}

//Aww, come on... Don't go back to sleep, or I will too...//

Armin listened to Esme bounding down the stairs. Once her footsteps faded, he grudgingly shifted so that he was lying beside Dianne instead of directly on her.

'Waaake uuup, little dragon...' he murmured in a drowsy singsong voice, nuzzling just under her ear.

{Stirring to wakefulness, Dianne opens her eyes, fidgeting at being disturbed.}

Dianne: "Hhnnngg.....what? Right...breakfast...."

{Sitting up, she rubs her face, trying to wake up.}

Armin rolled onto his back, looking up at her. 'You're almost as bad at waking up in the morning as I am. You're not going to go into hibernation over winter, are you?' he said jokingly.

{Dianne shoots him a half annoyed, half amused look.}

Dianne: "No. However, getting up in the morning is going to get harder the colder it gets."

{Heaving herself out of bed, she walks to the dresser to gather her clothes.}

Armin slowly got out of bed as well, throwing his clothes on and beginning to head downstairs to see what Rex and Esme were up to.

{After getting dressed, Dianne heads down the stairs and into the kitchen.}

Dianne: "Breakfast time..."

Rex was waiting in the living room. He seemed to know what had been happening last night. As Armin came in, Rex eyed him concernedly.

'Did you actually...?'

'It's done,' said Armin wearily. 'Final words and goodbyes, done. She doesn't hate me. She just wants me to live my life, which I didn't expect...'

Rex nodded, tugging his mustache uncertainly. Before he could say anything, Armin stepped forwards and dragged him into a hug.

'I won't forget her, but I need to focus on the things I love /now,/ not the things I loved back then. Like you, Dianne, Fred, and Esme.'

Rex sighed, tolerating the affectionate gesture. 'You really are slushy sometimes...'

While they were talking, Esme hung around Dianne, watching her attentively.

{Unaware of Armin and Rex's conversation, Dianne starts making breakfast. Omelettes and hash browns. Humming musically, she starts cooking.}

Esme stretched her wings and half-jumped, half-flew onto the kitchen counter, where she had a better vantage point to watch from.

'Hey, don't complain. I can be slushy if I want,' said Armin. He tightened his grip momentarily, then went to sit down on the couch. Rex joined him, and begun to flip through random TV channels.

'Don't worry, I've long since gotten used to your inexplicable need for affection,' said Rex dryly.

{After making the food, Dianne carries her and Esme's plates into the living room.}

Dianne: "Morning, Rex."

(posting new room)