Calinthro (G/T)

Chapter Twenty-Four

"God I hope she's okay. I really didn't mean to hit her like that! That thing was going for her and I panicked!" 

"Hush sweetheart, it's fine. See? She's breathing, she's only got small bruises. She'll wake up soon."

Jenny could hear voices. They were muffled, but she could hear them. The more she focused the clearer they became and she could recognize them as her mom and dad talking to each other. Still no Derrick...what happened?

Slowly she forced herself to remember. The Beast, her father fighting it off, her mom, Derrick and herself almost getting mauled because of the way Jenny distracted her dad.  

Despite the pounding in her head, slowly she began to open her eyes. She could see her mom and dad...Noah. He was human height. Not a giant anymore. Are they home? "M-Mom? Dad?" She whispered, feeling with her hand around the surface she lays on. 

"Jenny, sweetheart." Noah's head turned in her direction, and his hand was quickly placed on her arm. "I didn't mean...god, are you okay? How do you feel? Damn, I barely get my daughter back and I knock her out."

"I feel fine." The teen insisted. "Where's Derrick? I-Is he here?" She wanted to look around the room, but her neck hurt to turn her head. It'd take a while to heal, but hopefully, a while wasn't too long.

"I'm right here." Derrick's voice came from the other side of the room, and sure enough, the green-eyed ex-Calinthro stepped into her view. "It's good to see you awake. You scared me." Playfully, he jabbed his finger into her arm where he knew she wasn't hurt as much. The other side was completely bruised though, where her dad had hit her.

"Us too." Harriet reached out to her daughter with a gentle smile. But then her smile slowly faded. "Your grandmother, my mother, is she okay?"

"Grandma. Grandma's okay last I knew. Oh! And Sophie!" Jenny pushed herself into a sitting position then groaned, falling back onto the soft grass. Grass. They were still in the woods. 

"We should get back to them." Derrick's surprisingly strong arms lifted her off of the grass. "I'll carry you. Even though you don't for in my palm anymore, that doesn't mean you're still not light."

"Shush your face." With a quiet giggle, Jenny leaned against her boyfriend, a small smile gracing her lips. She had her grandma, Sophie, her parents, even a boyfriend, when just a few months ago she thought her parents were dead. That she'd never see Derrick again. But here she is now.

The walk home earned them all a few odd looks. Noah with blood all over his shirt, Harriet and Jenny covered in dust from when the walls busted down, and Derrick carrying a teen girl with ease. 

When they arrived at her grandmother's house, Harriet ran to the other room with Noah close behind her to see the old woman. Derrick carried his girlfriend up the stairs to her bedroom so she could lay in her bed.

"Hey, Derrick?" Jenny whispered, wrapping her arms around his neck before he had a chance to set her down.

"Yeah?" He turned his head to face her, her lips pressing into his before he even had a chance to comprehend what was going to happen. But he happily returned the gentle kiss, holding her a little tighter to him. 

Jenny didn't want to pull away, but Derrick did before she could. "Here, lay down here for now, I need to use the restroom." Derrick murmured in a whisper, her arms hesitantly letting him go. 

"You aren't going to disappear again right? You're human now, you'll stay with me. Won't you?" Jenny pulled her blankets up to her shoulders, for once not caring she was covered in dirt and just wanted to nap.

"Yeah. You can count on that." Derrick smiled and placed a soft kiss on her forehead, leaving a small print in the dust that remained on her. He then turned and left the bedroom to go to the bathroom. 

After all this time in the Underworld, after the years and years of being cursed and forced to kidnap poor humans...he was home.

Thank you for reading 'Calinthro'. Remember to keep an eye out for new stories that will be beginning soon.